Paul & Gail A Different Path
by PastNeighbours
Summary: A alternative ending to the Paul and Gail story from 1989,
1. Chapter 1

Gail Robinson closed the door of number 22 for the last time, tears in her eyes she walked down the drive to her car, pausing for a moment she turned back and looked at the house; there were so many memories and not all of them bad but this time she was never coming back. She felt the powerful kick from the life growing within her and placed her hand on her stomach; her precious children growing inside of her unaware of the turmoil she was facing. The hardest decision she ever made was to leave but she didn't see how she could stay; she loved Paul, deep inside she knew she always would but she could not longer tolerate the fact that business would always come first with him; even today, when she really needed him, he walked out on her for a business meeting. Sighing heavily she placed her bags in the boot of the car and got into the driver's seat, closing her eyes she laid back against the head rest, part of her unsure as to whether this was the right thing to do. The street was empty but if she left it much longer she might not be able to escape unnoticed. She turned the key in the ignition and reversed the car out of the drive. There was no plan in her head; just the need to get as far away from Ramsay Street as she could.

Paul Robinson sat in his office alone; the meeting had dragged on and what should have been an hour turned out to be two; he needed to get back to Gail but just at the moment it felt as though he was the last person she wanted around; she didn't seem to understand that everything he did, he did it for her and the children; to give them the lives they deserved. He was deep in thought when his father walked in.

"Paul why are you still here?"

"My meeting just finished; I was just about to head out, how's Gail?"

"She's gone home; I hate to say it son, but I think you made a mistake today leaving her like that"

"I was a meeting that was arranged weeks ago, I didn't want to break it, besides I'm hardly her favourite person at the moment"

"Paul, Gloria just told us that Rob knew those parts were stolen"

"What?"

"Apparently he thought he was doing me a favour; Gloria didn't want to tell Gail as she didn't want to destroy her image of her father"

"Dad she needs to know the truth; she's blames me for his death and I'm not sure how we're going to get past this…I don't want to lose her"

"You still shouldn't have argued with him like that; causing him to leave the house like that"

"Dad…if he knew he was in the right he wouldn't have left"

"What's done is done; but right now you need to talk to Gail and you need to go home now…"

The conversation was interrupted by the ring of the telephone. Paul went to answer it.

"Paul leave it…it's time you went home!"

"It might be important"

"More important than your wife?"

Paul sighed "No…of course not; but she's made it clear she doesn't want me around, I'm no use to her at the moment; I can't get through to her!"

"She's grieving; she's also pregnant, her hormones are over the place…but you can get through this"

"I hope so..come on let's get out of here!"

"Possibly the best idea you've come up with all day" Jim laughed.

Gail stopped her car in the centre of town; she seemed to havebeen driving around in circles for an hour and still hadn't managed to get that far away from Ramsay Street. She spotted a coffee bar on the opposite side of the road and decided she needed a break, walking in, she went and ordered herself a coffee and then found a corner booth out of the way; she needed to gather her thoughts. She felt confused, earlier she had it worked out that she was doing the right thing for both her and the babies but there was another part of her that was aching and begging her to turn around; in her heart she knew that she still loved Paul but she couldn't live with the what they had become; the most important thing in his life was the Robinson Corporation and her and the triplets seemed an afterthought. Her mind went back to the reason she started the IVF in the first place; to give Paul the child he wanted and now she was taking that from him; she stared at the untouched coffee in front of her, the tears streaming down her face…she felt alone and lost without the best friend she ever had. She finished her coffee and went back to the car; once again she felt the kicks of the babies inside her; she knew she had two choices…to follow her heart or her head.

Paul pulled into the drive of No 22, walking through the door he called Gail's name but received no answer; the house felt eerie, something wasn't quite right; suddenly he realised he hadn't seen her car in the drive, he walked into the kitchen and saw the letter on the table, picking it up he started to read. As he read a cold feeling ran through him, he ran upstairs and looked in her wardrobe, her clothes were gone, he went to the spare room and found that the baby clothes that she had brought were gone; she had left him and this time he didn't know where she was. He couldn't believe that she thought that he loved the business more than her; it wasn't true…he was building the business up to give her and their children the life they deserved…nothing was more important than her; she had taught him so much…given him back the ability to trust people. He needed to find her. Thinking back to earlier he realised that his father was right, he shouldn't have left Rob's wake…she needed him and he wasn't there for her. He felt sick, he couldn't let her walk out of his life, not now, and not ever…he needed to find her. Walking outside he hurried over to No 26.

"Paul what's wrong?" Jim said as his son rushed through the door.

"What time did Gail leave here?"

"About three hours ago" Helen replied "Why?"

"She's gone..her clothes, the babies' clothes, everything"

"She can't have gone far…"

"I need to find her…she left a note…she thinks I care about the business more than her, but it's not true"

"It certainly seemed like that at times Paul" Helen said

"That's not true….I was building the business for us, to give us the financial stability that we need, without her it means nothing"

"These past few months things seem to have changed between you two…almost as though you were withdrawing from her…I saw it this morning when you left after lunch…I shouldn't have let her go, the look on her face when you walked out the door…." Helen replied

"Come on…let's see if we can drive around and find her"

Helen watched them go, worried that this time Gail may be gone for good.

Gail drovie into the Lassiters Car Park, something was drawing her here, getting out of the car she slowly walked to the bridge, she thought back to a different time, the first time that Paul told her he loved her was on this bridge…that's all she ever wanted to hear, he told her afterwards how terrified he was that he would be rejected but she told him the truth was that she was only ever leaving because she was in love with him and knew he didn't feel the same or wouldn't admit it. The tears started to flow again, but this time she knew that Paul wouldn't come out of the Waterhole and tell her he loved her, she looked towards the office, she hadn't seen Paul's car in his parking space so she knew he had gone, was he back at home? What was he thinking? Did he care that she was gone? She looked inside her bag and found the spare key. She hadn't used it in months. She opened the door and walked inside; she felt tired and went to sit at Paul's desk, it was then that she noticed the picture of her and Paul sat on his desk, she picked it up and gently stroked his face; sighing she looked at the phone on the desk..looking at the phone she picked it up and dialled, not quite knowing what she would do if it was picked up, she waited.

"Helen Daniels"

"Helen..it's me"

"Where are you?"

"Lassiter's Office"

"Right I'll be there in 15 minutes…don't move"

Gail sat back in the chair; she didn't think she could move if she wanted to, she picked up the photograph and held it close to her; once again she felt the babies kick…maybe they were trying to tell her not to leave. Fifteen minutes seemed to last a lifetime, she felt a sigh of relief when she heard Helen's voice in the hallway. Gail got out of the chair and walked to the door, the tears streaming down her face, the last thing she wanted to do was cry, Helen walked up to her and hugged her.

"Its okay" Helen said "I'm just glad you're okay"

"I tried to leave but I couldn't, but I don't think I can stay"

"Let me make some coffee and we can talk..go and sit down"

Gail went and sat back in the office, five minutes later Helen walked in and placed the coffee mugs on the desk.

"I don't understand…of all the places you could have gone…why here?"

Gail sighed "I don't know…I was just drawn here; I'm just so confused…earlier I had it all planned out…I was leaving Ramsay Street forever…."

"But…"

"How can I leave and deprive Paul of the children I know that he wants, but how can I stay and play second best to the business. How many birthday parties is he going to miss because he has to be at the office? How much time are we going to spend together…just at the moment it's very little"

"Gail I know he loves you; he's going out of his mind with worry now; he's looking for you"

"Look at today; I needed him and he left me for a business meeting, okay…I know I pushed him away, told him I didn't want him around but I was angry and upset and I felt he was to blame for what happened but I needed him there today and he wasn't"

"And he's kicking himself that he didn't see that; he just thought that there were others around who you'd probably prefer to be with than him"

Gail fell silent and stared into her coffee cup, minutes past before she spoke "You asked me why I came here, for some reason I wanted to come to the bridge, the place where Paul declared he loved me and we ended the Marriage of Convenience, I had waited for so long to hear those words from him. Even in the office we had some good times, we were always competitive but we worked as a good team. Maybe that's been the problem, having to stop working has meant we aren't spending that much time together anymore"

"I also think Paul needs to spend a little less time at the office and little more time with you" Helen said

"Yeah but since he brought Rosemary out; he's been swamped, I suppose I know he's doing this for us and to give us security but sometimes I wish he had let this place go. He could have found another job somewhere else. Don't get me wrong I'm proud of what he's achieved I just wish his whole left didn't revolve around the Robinson Corporation. To be honest I can't see any room in his life for me and the children"

"He wants these children just as much as you do"

"Eighteen months ago when we started thinking about the IVF, I would have agreed with you but now I think it's just another burden for him, to stop him building his empire. I don't know I'm just confused"

"So where do you go from here?"

"I'm not sure…I don't think I could stay and watch our marriage dissolve into the business deal it started as; I want the man I love back but I feel I've lost him"

"You need to open the lines of communication; but I'm not here to tell you what to do. If you decide to walk out of here and leave then this conversation has never happened, I haven't seen you but on the other hand if you decide to stay then I will try and help however I can. I don't want you to go but at the end of the day the decision is yours and yours alone"

Paul and Jim seemed to be going around in circles; they'd been to Gloria's place and the hospital but there was no sign of Gail; she had a two hour start on them and both of them knew it.

"Dad..let's go back to Ramsey Street; we've been driving for over an hour now and haven't found her, once I get home, I'll ring around and see if someone has heard from her"

"We could try Lassiters"

"That's the last place she'd go to…let's just go home"

"Are you prepared to give up just like that?"

"Dad. Let's face it she's gone and there's nothing I can do about it; at the end of the day she's just like every other woman I've been involved with; they all leave me in the end"

"No Paul, Gail was different she loved you , she just didn't like what you became."

"Why didn't she understand that I love her, nothing has changed"

"You have neglected her recently"

"I wasn't building this business up for me; I was doing it for my family, why couldn't she understand that… nothing has changed I love her so much"

"You still want me to turn around and go home"

Paul remained silent for a while, he didn't want to give up but he knew that driving around all night would get them nowhere…he had to face it that she was gone and this time there was nothing he could do about it.

"Yes" he said finally.

Jim sighed "Okay"

Paul turned his face towards the window, he felt the tears beginning to form in his eyes, If only he had stayed this afternoon and not gone to the meeting, maybe Gail would still be here but his own carelessness had driven her away.

Meanwhile back at Lassiters Gail sat in silence trying to work out what her next step would be. She picked up the picture and stared at her husband. She thought back to the start of their marriage, the marriage of convenience, a business deal that was also supposed to protect them from ever falling in love with anyone else and getting hurt but they hadn't bargained on falling in love with each other. Finally she looked at Helen.

"Do you really think we can change things, that we can stop him being so obsessed with this place?"

"I think he's worked out how you're feeling at the moment and perhaps we can persuade him to put an assistant manager in the office or even two and I could talk to Rosemary and see if she'd consider coming back over here for a couple of weeks to look after things; I know the Daniel Corporation doesn't take up much of her time these days…and there's the possibility that he could work from home a few days a week and only go into the office when necessary especially for the next few months and don't forget that you two won't be alone looking after these children, there's a whole street that will help"

"That's what I love about Ramsay Street"

"It can get a bit overbearing at times"

"I think it's time to go home"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes providing your grandson hasn't changed the locks by now"

"Do you want me to drive back; we could get Jim and Paul to pick up your car later"

"No it's fine…you can follow me back to Ramsey Street, all my stuff is in the back of my car"

"You shouldn't have been carrying that you do know that"

"I'm sorry…I let everything get to me and just felt that I needed to leave"

"You sure this is what you want…do you still love Paul"

"Yes…I do..."

"Let's go"

Turning off the lights. Gail locked the door and the two women headed to their cars.

"See you back at the house" Helen hugged Gail "Drive carefully"

"I will"

Jim and Paul pulled up outside number 22 "Do you want me to come in?" Jim asked

"No it's fine..I just want to be on my own; guess I'll have to get used to it"

Jim watched him walk to the house, he knew Paul was barely holding it together and worried what this would do to him, as Paul closed the door behind him Jim drove back to his own drive. Inside the house Paul stared at the emptiness around him, he needed to make phone calls and see if anyone had heard from Gail; but he didn't know where to start. He sat down and closed his eyes, silently cursing himself, wishing he had done things differently. He hadn't realised how bad things had got, hadn't realised how neglected she had felt; he thought she knew that he loved her but obviously she didn't. Now it felt as though part of him had been ripped from him, he felt lost and alone. Looking at the chair opposite he saw the three bears that Gail's father had brought for the triplets; Gail must have forgotten them or had she left them to dig the knife in a little deeper; he didn't want to believe that, to feel that she hated him that much. Walking over he picked up the three bears and went and sat back on the sofa, without warning the tears came and for the first time in a long time he sobbed uncontrollably for what he had lost.

Meanwhile back outside, Gail pulled up near the kerb by number 22, Helen followed her. Both women got out of their cars.

"Are you okay?" Helen asked

Gail smiled "I think so; looks like Paul's home"

"Do you want me to go in with you?"

"No I need to do this on my own"

"Gail do me a favour, if you two can't work this out, please let us know you're leaving"

Gail hugged her "Don't worry I will"

"I bet you haven't eaten since lunchtime, I've got a casserole in the oven why don't I bring some over to you in an hour"

"Thanks..that will be good"

"I'll talk to you later"

"Okay"

Gail walked up the drive to the house; placing her hand on the handle she quietly pushed it opened, thankful that it wasn't locked.

Silently she walked in; the sight she saw tore at her heart, gently she walked over to Paul and knelt before him realising that in his grief he hadn't even notice her come in, she touched his hand and he looked up, his eyes red with crying, without a word she removed the bears from him and took him in her arms, trying to calm his sobs, stroking his back she spoke words of reassurance; hating to see him this way, her tears began to flow too. Gradually the sobs eased and she gently pulled away from him. Looking in his eyes she knew that she could never leave him and at this point in time she didn't want to, in a moment all her anger, hurt and pain seem to dissolve, they needed to find away through this

Paul broke the silence "I'm sorry…I didn't realise how you felt"

"Paul…we have to talk…we can't go on like this"


	2. Chapter 2

A big thank you to Mills for helping with the visual side of this chapter 

Chapter two

Gail went and sat on the chair opposite him; silence hung in the air and neither one knew how to break it. Paul looked at her trying to read what was going on in her mind but he couldn't, seeing one of the bears lying on the floor he picked it up and held it close, feeling some comfort from its softness. Gail watched him; she felt a kick inside her and grimaced. Paul looked at her

"Are you okay?"

She closed her eyes "Yes…I don't know why but the babies seem to be restless today"

He wanted to go over to her, wrap her up in his arms and feel his babies moving; but he felt unsure of the situation; unsure of whether she was here to stay or whether this was the end of the line for them; for now he needed to keep his distance.

"What are you thinking?" she asked

"I don't know…I'm sorry about this afternoon…I just thought you'd prefer me out of the way so I didn't cancel the business meeting"

"So once again you put the Robinson Corporation before me"

"These past few days you haven't wanted me near you…every time I tried to get close to you…be there for you…you shut me out…I thought you didn't want me around, so yes I thought I might as well be at work beside there were plenty of other people around…you didn't need me"

Gail stood up and walked to the kitchen counter looking at the dining table where she could see the opened letter she had left for Paul earlier that day

"I'm sorry, maybe I was just a little upset after my father's death…I didn't realise I had to tell you that I needed you on the day of his funeral"

"I'm not a mind reader!"

She looked at him and shook her head, wondering why she had come back. Turning her back on him and looking down she said,

"Maybe I should just leave….then you can give the company your undivided attention without me or the children in your way"

Paul stood up and took a step towards her, trying to close the gap between them

"Gail…look at me"

She didn't want to look at him, not trusting her own feelings yet

He turned her around to face him.

She still couldn't look at him; looking down at the floor she could feel his gaze upon her. Finally she looked up at him.

"Gail, I love you nothing has changed; the company is for us and if you leave then there's not much point is there?"

"The company has taken over your life; how much time have we spent together these past few months; you're always so busy, at the office or out at meetings, you forgot my birthday how many birthday parties are you going to miss because you're too busy; will our children ever see you while they're growing up…I doubt it very much"

"I promise I will never be too busy for our children or YOU!"

Gail rolled her eyes "I've heard it all before, it will be o.k. for a couple of months and then we'll be here again but with three babies and . . . . . . "

"Just don't leave me…please don't give up on everything we have together; look what we . . . . you most of all, have been through to have a baby, don't deprive them of two loving parents"

She knew in her heart that she couldn't walk out again but she was scared; she hated the thought of their marriage once again becoming a business arrangement or even worse, a marriage that was only held together because of the children.

"Paul I want things back to the way they were; I'm scared that if we carry on the way we have we'll end up with a business arrangement for a marriage or a marriage only held together because of the children"

Paul walked up to her and put his arms on her shoulders "I love you too much for that to ever happen; we can get through this"

"You're obsessed with work and you know it"

"Once upon a time it didn't bother you"

"I know and I guess that's because we were a partnership but now with the babies on the way my priorities have changed"

"We're still a partnership…you think I don't miss having you around the office, sharing everything with you"

"We seem to have drifted apart…I always thought that having children would give us a stronger bond but it hasn't"

Paul looked at her "We can still make this work…there's noone I want by my side more than you, do you really want to leave and bring up these children on your own"

"Of course not but neither do I want my children to be second best to a company with unhappy parents…I'm not asking you to give up the Robinson Corporation just consider your options"

"Gail…"

"Paul listen…you could take on an Assistant Manager and maybe an office junior…also you could ask Rosemary for help; see if she would be willing to come back and run the company for you for a few months…unfortunately we could do with her help immediately"

"I've already spoken to Rosemary"

"When?"

"Ages ago…after you told me you were expecting triplets I knew there would come a point when I needed help and Rosemary seemed to be the obvious person. I phoned her and asked her if she'd consider coming back here to run things, she told me to let her know when we needed her"

A look of surprise crossed her face, for the first time as she looked at Paul tenderly he could see the tears form in her eyes, as she realised how she had misjudged Paul. In an instant he pulled her towards him, gently stroking her back as she cried. After a few minutes she pulled away from the embrace and looked at him and for the first time in what felt like a long time he saw the love shining in her eyes. His hands moved up and gently cupped her cheeks to wipe her tears away.

"I wish you had told me"

"I meant to but I've been trying to get things sorted so that I can just hand things over to Rosemary and don't have to worry about the office"

"I think it's time to make that phone call Paul"

"I already have…I phoned her last week and told her I needed to step away from Lassiters and stay home with you. You always thought that I was obsessed with the business but the truth is that I was working hard so that I could take time out to be with you when you needed me the most; I know I screwed up this week but believe me the only thing that matters to me is you. I phoned Rosemary again this afternoon and she's going to be here on Sunday; I'm going to have to go into the office for a couple of hours on Monday but after that I'm all yours. Just hope you don't get fed up with me!"

Gail smiled and hugged him tightly "Never…but will you consider getting someone in to help run the office"

"I always thought you wanted to… that you would come back to work"

Gail laughed "I'm going to be a bit busy…but we can job share, in fact that would be an idea that way we both take turns in looking after the babies and working"

"That might work…but look around you Gail, this is Ramsay Street, how many people here will offer to help look after the triplets if we need them. You love this street; that is why I brought this house"

"I know"

"Paul we have ten days before we have three screaming babies on our hands"

"Ten days..you're joking"

"No…I'm being induced 24 November"

"November 24th ………."

Gail looked at him; she could see his mind working and wondered what he was thinking "Why what's wrong with that date…don't you dare tell me you have a business meeting you can't get out of"

Paul looked at her "No…I just thought we had more time; you're not due for another 2 months"

"I know but my blood pressure is up and with three babies I can't go to full term,. but they're thriving so should be okay"

"What about you?"

"At the moment I just need to rest and try and get this blood pressure down but apart from that everything is fine"

"Stay with me…please don't go"

Gail sighed she looked into his eyes "I don't think I could leave even if I wanted to, I love you so much"

Paul pulled her into an embrace, hugging her closely and felt the tiny kick of life inside her. He softly laughed "Well we have at least one boy in there" feeling another kick with his hand.

Gail allowed herself to finally relax and laughed "Maybe…Paul I've got a scan on Monday why don't you come with me"

"Sure…I've missed so much of this pregnancy"

Gail looked down sadly "I know I guess it hasn't been brilliant timing"

Paul looked at her and placed his finger under her chin lifting it so that he could look into her eyes "Hey..you're so wrong, this is what we have both wanted for a long time and the timing couldn't be better. We're young enough to enjoy these children and perhaps in another few years time try again (WINKING AT GAIL). These children are so precious because they're part of us, they are the future and there is only one thing more important to me than them and that is you. I'm sorry I haven't always been there for you during this pregnancy, that this pregnancy turned out the way it did but I promise these next 10 days I will be at your side and next time I promise you will have a perfect pregnancy"

"Paul I love you and I need YOU"

Paul pulled her closer "Our downfall is lack of communication; it almost destroyed us once before but let's not let it do it again to us…we need to tell each other exactly what we're thinking"

"Can you get my cases from the car?"

"Sure. By the way have you eaten today?"

"A little but I haven't really been hungry"

"How about a takeaway"

"No….Helen should be bringing a casserole around shortly"

"What…when did you speak to Gran…have you been to Dad's, does he know you're back"

"No…I spent a couple of hours driving around trying to get away from Erinsborough but didn't get very far and ended up at Lassisters; I called Helen from there because I needed someone to talk to"

"Dad and I have been driving around trying to find you; we went as far as Gloria's and dad suggested Lassiters but I told him that's the last place you'd go"

"You're wrong Paul…the bridge" she looked at him to see if he knew what she meant "You don't remember do you?"

"How could I forget; it took me ages to work up the courage to tell you that I loved you, seeing you on the bridge crying I knew I had to act or I'd lose you forever"

"That's all I wanted from you…three little words but I had given up any hope that I'd hear them"

"It's funny but the day you returned from the States..I was going to tell you that I loved you but you completely burst my bubble by wanting a divorce"

"I just felt the situation was unbearable; I went to New York to try and escape and get my head together but it made things worse; I missed you terribly and realised that I couldn't stay in our Marriage of Convenience"

Paul pulled her closer to him "Thank god we sorted things out before you got on that plane..."

"New beginnings…let's enjoy our last days together before our lives are changed forever"

"We will still have time for us…we're going to share the responsibility of these children…I'll find a way of making sure that the Robinson Corporation doesn't take me away from what's important. I feel so guilty that I left you today"

"It doesn't matter now..we have to look forward" Gail said as she kissed him "Go and get my suitcases before I change my mind!"

Paul walked out to Gail's car; on opening the boot he rolled his eyes and shook his head when he saw the amount of things piled into it. He picked up two of the cases and walked back inside.

"Gail you shouldn't have been carrying this"

"I know but I couldn't exactly ask anyone for help could I?"

Paul sighed "I'm just glad you turned around, I'll take these upstairs and we can unpack them later"

Gail sat on the sofa and closed her eyes while Paul took the rest of the cases upstairs. The events of the day overwhelmed her and the tears started to flow again, she wiped her eyes and looked around her; once again she felt a kick, placing her hand on her stomach she gently rubbed it; silently willing the life inside her to settle down; she knew she'd been so stressed out today that the babies must have picked it up. She needed to calm down for her sake as well as the babies. Her thoughts returned to Paul, she truly loved him despite what they had been through these past months; a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, as Helen called out as she entered the open door, she smiled when she saw Helen.

"Hi" she said

"I brought some casserole for you…how are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling better now"

"I take it you're staying"

"Yes…Paul's just taken my cases upstairs"

"I've just spoken to Rosemary…she phoned to let me know that she's coming over on Sunday; she presumed I knew"

"I know apparently Paul spoke to her months ago and again last week to ask her to come over, just wished he had told me earlier. I really thought the only thing that mattered was the Robinson Corporation when all along he was thinking about me and the children"

"So what about getting someone into help in the office?"

"I spoke to him about that and I think he can be talked into it. We'll have to see how healthy the financial situation is but hopefully it's something he can consider; he needs to get into a routine where he's not spending all day at the office."

"Why don't you come around for dinner tomorrow night? Jim and Beverley are going out so I'll be left alone with the kids"

"Okay, what time?"

"Around 6.30pm"

Helen looked at her "You need to get an early night, you look worn out"

Gail sighed "These babies have been using my insides as a playground today…I guess they've picked up on my mood"

Helen laughed "Funny thing is I remember Anne telling me the same thing when she was carrying Paul; and he didn't really differentiate night from day; she spent a lot of the last few weeks of her pregnancy not be able to sleep. I don't know who was more grouchy Anne or Jim as she was keeping him awake as well!"

Gail smiled "Sounds about right…have you got any baby photos?"

"Sure I'll dig some out for you to see tomorrow; maybe we can get Paul to take the kids out and round up some of the neighbours for a game of cricket while we go through them"

"That sounds like a plan"

"Everything is okay between you two?" Helen asked "I hate to think of you two splitting with everything you've been through"

"Helen…I think if I had been really going to leave I would have done so this afternoon but at the end of the day I couldn't. We need to work at things but I think..I know we're going to make it"

"Well I best be getting back..before everyone complains about being hungry"

Gail stood and hugged Helen "Thanks"

"It's okay….just take care of yourself or better still let Paul take care of you"

"I will"

Gail closed the door as Paul came down the stairs.

"Right dinner is taken care of..Helen just brought the casserole and she got a phonecall from Rosemary"

"I'm hoping I can persuade her to stay here for a couple of months, it would be nice to have a complete break and spend some time with you and the babies"

"Can Paul the workaholic survive without Lassiters?"

"Of course I can…you're right I've been working too hard and neglecting you..which I never meant to do, I was devastated when I realised that you had walked out"

Gail took a step closer to Paul from where they were standing and held his hand.

"Let's put these last few months behind us and start over; just think we're so close to having the family we want"

Paul put his arm around Gail's back and pulled her towards him and kissed her gently.

"Come on let's eat I'm starving, then while I wash up you can unpack those suitcase, then we can cuddle up on the sofa and watch a film or just talk"

"I'm not in the mood for a film but talking would be good"

As Paul heated the casserole through Gail got the plates out, much to Paul's protests for her to rest, as he dished it up she walked over to the dining table and picked up her letter to Paul which he had screwed up. She unfolded it, and feeling Paul glance at her she looked up, smiled at him and tore it up. The meaning was understood and unspoken.

Later that night Paul and Gail cuddled up on the sofa with the stereo turned low. Paul had made sure Gail was comfortable with a cushion supporting her feet on the coffee table which he had noticed were slightly swollen. As he sat down beside her Gail leaned towards Paul and lent her head on his shoulder.

"So Mrs Robinson have you got all the suitcases unpacked?"

"It didn't take as long to unpack them as to pack them"

Paul. laughed "We need to get the nursery sorted out; it's still not finished"

"We have 10 days…we haven't really discussed names either"

Paul was lost in thought "November 24th"

Gail looked at him trying to work out what he was thinking "You have got a business meeting arranged for that day haven't you? Paul tell me…"

"No I haven't; even if I had I'd cancel it"

"But there's something about that date, you've been strange ever since I've told you…what is it?"

"Nothing it's just something silly"

"No tell me, What?"

"Okay…November 24th is…I mean was my mum's birthday…I guess it feels a bit strange having my children born on that day"

Gail turns and looks up at Paul, a little taken back at the look of concern on his face.

"I'm sorry…I can change it"

"No don't be silly…she'd have loved it"

Thinking then that she had never really asked Paul about Anne and he had never spoken about her Gail thought this might be the time to ask.

"What was she like?"

Paul laughed "Just like Gran, kind, gentle, loving…she's been on my mind a lot lately…seeing you like this just brought back memories of when she was pregnant with Lucy…(and lowering his voice further) and what happened when Lucy was born….part of me is scared for you, I don't want the same thing to happen to you"

Gail suddenly realised that she hadn't even given Paul's thoughts a consideration. She hadn't given it a second thought of his Mum and what he must have gone through when she died. She paused, not sure what to say at first and taking in Paul's comment further. How could she have not realised sooner. She knew then that she had also not been there for him or been the only one in pain.

Gail sat up and turned looking at Paul "Paul…it won't I promise; I'm fine the babies are fine"

"So was she"

Gail saw the tears in his eyes, she wanted to reassure him "Paul…we're fourteen years down the line from when Lucy was born; women have been having babies since time began, sometimes things can go wrong but most of the time both mother and baby are fine, look at Daphne…she had high blood pressure during her pregnancy but both her and Jamie came through the birth. Darling what happened to your mum was terrible but please don't put yourself through the agony of thinking it's going to happen to me….we're going to be fine and you can be with me every step of the way"

"I didn't think seeing you pregnant would affect me like this…I am fine with it but the closer we get to the birth the more I think about mum"

"Paul I love you…I wished you had told me how you were feeling sooner but trust me you have nothing to worry about; I'm not going anywhere…ever!"

Gail had her hand on his shoulder facing him.

Paul tenderly kissed her "I'm sorry about everything especially what happened with your dad"

Gail sighed "I know…you were probably right about the stolen parts, but part of me wished you had let me handle it"

"I shouldn't have argued with him like I did; he'd still be alive if I had taken things more gently with him…I was just so angry that he let us down again!"

"I shouldn't have blamed you like I did or pushed you away but I guess I needed someone to blame"

"After everything that has happened these past few months I guess I deserve it but I'm planning on making it up to you"

Gail smiled as she turned and snuggled back in to Paul's shoulder "Yeah you can have the night time feeds and the nappy changing"

"Thanks…are you sure you're okay"

"Part of me feels numb…I miss dad, when mum died I still had him but now I feel…I don't know…alone I guess"

"I felt like that when mum died; I still had dad but every now and again something would happen, like when I did well at school or won a football match and I go to tell mum then realise she wasn't there. We were lucky we had gran but it took a long time for me to get used to the fact that mum was gone, Gail you're not alone…you have me…you have the rest of my family and we love you"

Gail smiled "I know…Paul it's been an emotional day and I'm tired. Let's go to bed"

"Fine by me..tomorrow we can have a nice relaxing day, just the two of us"


	3. Chapter 3

Paul was finishing the washing up and drying the last plate as the milk started to boil on the stove. He thought to himself how they would soon be up in the early hours boiling water for bottles, how their lives were about to change . . . he smiled to himself and shook his head in disbelief. Upstairs, Gail had just got in to bed, realising how tired she was, but for the first time in months how content she felt, considering perhaps it was because she and Paul had talked to each other and cleared the air a little. Paul shared his thoughts with Gail as he came in the bedroom and joked that they would both be up soon in the middle of the night. Laughing Gail bet him it would be her that woke first because he could sleep through a thunderbolt! An hour later Paul lay there staring up at the ceiling and glanced over to Gail the other side of the bed. He had tried to sleep, thinking he was tired but just couldn't, the hot milk obviously hadn't worked. Unbeknown to him Gail was also awake thinking.

Quietly Gail broke the silence "are you still awake?"

Paul was surprised "yeah, I thought you were asleep"

"no, I thought I was tired but your offspring have decided to play football and I can't get comfortable"

"well, what do you expect I don't sit still for five minutes!"

As Gail turned and snuggled up to Paul.

"I should have guessed, what more could I have expected" poking him in the ribs teasingly as she cuddled up to him.

Paul felt a sudden kick in his ribs and Gail laughed "well I've got my girls in training, they're kicking their Father in to shape!".

"Hey, I have you know that my sons will be footie players" Paul said teasing Gail whilst he rubbed her back affectionately and kissed her.

They both drifted off to sleep comforted by each others presence and closeness which they had both missed although they had not shared this thought.

_Paul paced the corridor outside the delivery room; having been evicted from the room by Clive. He was thinking how happy he had been over the past week or so. He and Gail had been shopping for the babies and he had managed, with great difficulty and taunting from Gail supervising, to assemble the cots, inevitably asking his Dad to help. It was how he had wanted it to be, him looking after Gail and just the two of them spending time together.. But things had changed over the past few days, Gail's blood pressure had increased to a dangerous level and no matter how much she rested or what relaxation methods they tried it hadn't helped. There was evidence the babies were beginning to experience distress and the Consultant suggested bringing the birth forward. However Gail was insistent; she was dubious of such a premature birth and having come so far she didn't want to risk anything, unfortunately events took over and Gail wasn't to have a choice as symptoms of pre-__eclampsia arose. Paul was left with no choice but to talk her into an early caesarian; but he knew the risks to her and the babies were growing by the minute so there was no time to delay. He knew if anything happened to the babies she would blame him, but he also knew he could lose her if they did nothing and he wasn't going to even consider that thought. He felt like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, but they had to do something._

_Standing in the coridoor it felt like an eternity; he longed to go back into the delivery room but he knew he wouldn't be able to help Gail as she had received a full anaesaethic. Jim and Helen weren't there yet as it had been an emergency. _

_Finally he sat down, lent forward and placed his head in his hands, covering his face; his thoughts returned to his own mother and the night she died; back then he had been twelve years old and the grief he felt was unbearable. He remembered insisting on waiting up with his Gran who was sitting them to hear the good news. He remembered the colour draining from his Gran's face as she clasped the phone to her ear. He immediately knew there was something wrong and sensed it wasn't good. The same feeling was washing over him now, a feeling he couldn't push away or stop; he should never have encouraged Gail to enrol on the IVF programme, it was his fault that she was lying in the delivery room with her health at risk. Finally the door to the delivery room opened and Clive stepped out. Paul heard but didn't dare look up. Walking over to Paul he placed his hand on his shoulder and bent down._

"_Paul"_

"_Paul, there were complications . . . . . . ."_

_Paul jumped up and tried to push past Clive to get in to the delivery room to see Gail. _

"_Paul wait, let me explain. You have two sons and a daughter, they're premature but a good weight considering their triplets. You'll be able to see them shortly in the neo-natal unit as they're just there as a precaution"_

_Paul looked at Clive more closely and mumbled trying to take in all the information "you haven't mentioned Gail, what's happened, where's Gail?"_

"_You know Gail had high blood pressure when she came in. We monitored it closely and managed to control it but she lost a lot of blood during the birth . . . . she hasn't come round from the anaesethic as well as expected . . . . .Paul, the longer Gail remains unconscious . . . . . . ."_

_Without thinking of their three babies Paul said "I need to be with her"_

_Not right now…in a while…I've got to go back in there now but I'll come and get you as soon as possible"_

_Clive walked back into the delivery room leaving Paul alone, he felt numb..slowly he got up and walked to the doors of the delivery room, trying to peer in through the small windows. He couldn't see anything. Grief finally overtook him as he leant against the wall; sliding down he put his head in his hands and cried._

Paul woke with a start; his body tense with sweat pouring from his head causing his pyjamas to cling to him. He couldn't work out where he was or what time it was. Jumping out of bed he walked towards the window and looked across the street in the dimlight trying to catch his breath but with difficulty.

Gail was woken by Paul's sudden movement and she couldn't be sure but thought she heard him call her name. She tried to sit up and reach out to him but couldn't.

"Paul?" she called his name gently but he didn't respond.

She looked across at the alarm clock to see it was 3am. Slowly she got out of bed and walked towards him without putting the light on in case he was sleep walking. Gently she placed her hand on the small of his back and rubbed it offering some assurance, realising he must have been in a deep sleep due to his continued shivering and warm back.

Concerned Gail broke the silence "Darling what's wrong?"

She suddenly realised he was shaking and silently sobbing;

More urgently Gail said "Paul, look at me"

Wiping his face slowly he turned and almost whispered her name "Gail?" looking down still.

Gently she took him in her arms; trying desperately to control his sobs; finally he became still. He pulled back slightly from her embrace and looked in to her eyes.

"I had a bad dream . . . . . I dreamt that you…became ill and . . . . and. . . . . they had to do an emergency caesarian but you ………."

Gail looked into his eyes and suddenly realised what Paul couldn't bring himself to say and saw the pain he was feeling. She pulled him closer and she felt him hold her even tighter, with the odd kick from one of the babies between them.

Gail tenderly stroked Paul's hair "Darling I'm here…everything is okay, it was a dream"

They both stood there for several minutes not saying anything. Paul was the first to move.

"you should go back to bed, you need your rest. I think I'll go and get a drink"

"Oh, I'm alright, I'll come with you and keep you company"

"Hey, no go on, rest, I'm fine; it was just a silly dream"

There was a firmer tone to Paul's voice and Gail knew whatever she said wouldn't change his mind so didn't pursue it and returned to bed. She was left lying in bed thinking how Paul had sobbed; he had never done that before and she couldn't get it out of her mind as she fell in to a restless sleep herself.

Gail woke early with the sun shining through the bedroom window; she looked over at Paul and saw he was still sleeping so decided to leave him; he had tossed and turned all night and now that he looked so peaceful she decided to let him rest. At least he had promised not to go into the office when he had finally returned to bed at 5am. Quietly she got out of bed and went to the bathroom to shower and get dressed; the babies were still making their presence felt but they seemed to be a little calmer. Half an hour later; after checking on Paul she went downstairs to make some breakfast. Sitting at the breakfast table looking at the morning paper she thought back to the previous day_; _how did she ever think that she could walk out on Paul, they had their problems but they could be sorted out, communication was never their strongpoint, but she needed him and he needed her, he was her best friend. An hour and a half past by the time Paul stumbled downstairs sleepily; Gail looked at him and smiled, he looked tired and drawn.

"Hey I woke up and reached for you but you were gone" he said

Gail smiled at him "You know I can stay in bed these days when I'm awake so I got up; you looked so peaceful I didn't want to disturb you…I was going to bring you breakfast in a while"

"I'm supposed to be looking after you remember…" Paul replied slightly annoyed that his plans to spoil Gail with breakfast in bed had been ruined.

Gail walked over to him and put her arms around his waist "its okay you can bring me breakfast in bed for the next week…I won't complain"

Paul pulled away from her embrace "I'm going to get some toast not that I'm feeling very hungry today, do you want anything else?"

"I'll have a herbal tea if you're offering"

Gail watched him walked towards the kitchen counter; she knew from his mood that he was still upset over the dream and decided to approach the subject

"Do you want to talk about the dream you had last night?"

He looked at her "Not really…it was just a silly dream…unimportant in fact I can't remember it"

She knew he was lying but decided not to push it.

Paul looked at her and saw the concern in her eyes "Hey I'm fine…don't worry about me, in fact I'm going to start on trying to put the cots together this morning"

Slightly smirking, trying not to laugh, Gail brightened "Do you want some help?"

"No….you put your feet up"

Paul ate his breakfast in silence; Gail tried to catch his eye but he purposely kept his distance. She wished he wouldn't shut her out, something was bothering him, but she knew better than to keep on at him. Sadly she walked over to the sofa, sitting down she picked up her book. Twenty minutes later Paul had finished his breakfast, getting up from the table he walked over to her and kissed her on the forehead.

"Right I'm going to work on the nursery..just shout me if you need me"

She frowned "You sure you don't want any company?"

"I can manage"

She watched him go upstairs; slowly she shook her head and threw her book down. Part of her wanted to follow him upstairs but with him in this mood, it wouldn't do any good. The dream was still playing on his mind and she wished he'd let her in; she wanted to help him but he didn't trust her enough to reveal his true feelings. She considered going upstairs after him and just sitting in the nursery watching him work but she knew she had to give him space. Reluctantly she went back to her book. An hour later there was a knock on the door, Gail put her book down and went to answer it, she smiled when she saw it was Helen.

"Hi…just thought I'd see how you were today"

"I'm fine..do you want a coffee?"

"Sure…where's Paul?, don't tell me he's at the office"

Gail sighed "He's upstairs working in the nursery; why don't you go up and see him; ask him if he'd like a coffee"

Helen looked concerned "Is everything okay?"

"Sure" Gail replied, a smile breaking on her face "We're making progress, he hasn't gone to the office today"

Helen went upstairs while Gail went into the kitchen and put the kettle on. Her thoughts returned to Paul; even though he hadn't gone into the office she felt he might have well had done for all the time he spent with her this morning.

"What's wrong with him?" Helen said "He looks tired and hardly has a word to say for himself, he doesn't want a coffee, says he's too busy to stop"

Gail sighed "He's barely said two words to me all day long; I offered to sit with him in the nursery but he just didn't want me around"

"Is he worried about work; about handing things over to Rosemary?"

"No it's not that…in a way I think he's looking forward to having time off work"

"Well what is it then?"

Gail handed Helen a coffee and they went and sat back in the living room. "I don't know…but he had a nightmare last night and woke up sweating and sobbing"

"It's been a while since he had bad dreams"

"He dreamt that I became ill and had to have an emergency caesarean section and that…."

Helen closed her eyes; she didn't need to know the rest of the dream "He dreamt that he lost you..that you didn't make it"

"Something like that…but he also told me last night that seeing me like this reminded him of his mother when she was pregnant with Lucy"

"Paul was so close to his mother; closer than Julie, mind you Julie has always been headstrong. Anne went into labour at about half five in the evening; I stayed home and looked after the children…from what I can remember Julie wasn't that concerned..after all she remarked on how women were always having babies and spent the evening with one of her friends; Scott was only little so I put him to bed early, he was just excited about having another brother or sister to play with but Paul…he didn't leave my side all evening; everytime the phone rang he jumped, I tried to calm him but…I don't know he sense something. I remember Julie came home from her friend's house and went to bed and I tried to get Paul to do the same but he wouldn't. It was 1 o'clock in the morning when we got news from the hospital…he was devastated"

Gail looked at Helen, both women had tears in their eyes. It was the first time that Gail had learnt anything of Anne's death in detail. She and Paul had never talked about it.

"I'm sorry Helen"

Helen reached for Gail's hand "It's okay…the question is what are we going to do about Paul"

"Don't worry I'll take care of Paul….somehow I'll get him to talk to me"

"I remember after Anne's death he was so withdrawn; his schoolwork suffered; he had bad dreams, I know he used to cry at night, I think he felt safer in his own bedroom . . . . to let go of his emotions. In fact that is the only time I recall him having bad dreams "

"Tell me about Anne" Gail said

Helen smiled "She was the total opposite of Rosemary; oh Rosemary was always business minded, all Anne ever wanted was a family. She married Jim when she was 17 and had Paul when they were 18. The early years were difficult because they were so young; but they were happy. She lived for her children, she read them stories at night, sit up with them at all hours of the night when they were sick..that was all she ever wanted, to look after her family"

"I'm looking forward to doing that with my children…but having three at the same time is going to be hard work"

"And you'll have the whole of the Robinson family and Ramsay street to help you…not to mention Paul. I'm glad he asked Rosemary for help"

"Are you looking forward to her coming over?"

"Of course…I see little of her; we used to be so close but she's made a life for herself in the States. I hope she stays for a couple of months"

"So do I; these past few months I've seen little of Paul…I want him to share the rest of this pregnancy and the first few months after the birth without worrying about the Robinson Corporation"

Helen looked at her watch "I better go…are you still coming over for dinner tonight?"

"Sure…beside I've got a date with some old photos remember"

"Okay…see you around 6.30pm and see you can do something about my grandson"

After showing Helen out Gail went to join Paul in the nursery where he was fixing the top of a change station on. She walked up behind him and leaned her chin on his shoulder looking down at what he was doing.

"Hey you, what have you been up to?" Paul asked

"Helen has just left…we've had a nice long talk"

"Is she looking forward to Rosemary coming over?"

"Of course she is…I think she misses her. She was talking about your mum and how she and Rosemary were so different…Anne only ever wanted a family and Rosemary the business career…I know who you take after!"

"Yeah I guess so…but that's not entirely true…I love my family and I'm looking forward to these three"

"Do you remember much about your mum?"

Paul stopped what he was doing and Gail felt his back stiffen.

"She's been gone so long I've had no reason to think of her" Paul replied in an offhandedly way, not wishing to dwell on thoughts of his mother as they had been on his mind all morning.

"That isn't what I asked Paul" Gail said, placing a hand around his waist.

Paul couldn't look at her as he knew she would see the truth by looking him in the face so continued to work. Finally he quietly answered her.

"Of course I remember her, I loved her, she was my mum"

"Well tell me about her so that I can tell Chico Harpo and Groucho" she said trying to lighten the conversation.

Paul didn't reply so Gail went and sat down on the nursery chair.

"Okay so you're not going to tell me more, can I suggest something then?"

Paul looked up confused with a questioning look on his face.

"You woke up last night after a dream and haven't been yourself all morning. You've hardly spoken to me and you seem to want to be on your own"

"No I haven't" Paul protested "You said yourself that there was lots to do in the nursery so I'm just getting on with it"

"No Paul, you're hiding from something, Darling I can't help you if you don't tell me"

"Who am I kidding, I could never hide anything from you" he said smiling at Gail

"Well I am your wife"

"It was just a silly dream but I can't get it out of my head"

"Well let me see…I think I know what your dream was about . well sort of and it made you think of your mum's death through childbirth?"

Surprised at how well she knew his thoughts he said "How did you know"

"I put two and two together and when Helen started talking about Anne it made sense"

Paul looked down at the floor "I'm just being silly"

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that…come on why don't we go downstairs and I'll make lunch. You've been up here all morning"

Gail reached for Paul's hand and led him out the room. "What do you want for lunch?"

"I don't mind, are we still going to Gran for dinner tonight?"

"Yes…I want to see some of your baby pictures"

Paul groaned "Not if I can help it..come on I'll help you with lunch"

They prepared their lunch in a comfortable silence then went and sat in the living room. Paul noticed how much more relaxed Gail looked.

"How are you feeling?" he asked

"I'm fine…your offspring are still making their presence felt but that's a good thing. Just at the moment I'm more worried about you Mr Robbo"

"I told you I'm fine…"

Gail looked at him "No you're not…I saw you last night after that dream you were sobbing and shaking…talk to me"

"I told you…it's just silly"

"Paul I love you…nothing you do or say is silly"

Paul looked away; Gail squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"You asked me if I remember much about my mum" he started, sighing he continued "I remember the night she died and that's been on my mind all day long as well as you and what could happen"

Gail looked at him; her heart ached for him "Darling nothing is going to happen to me…we're going to have three perfect babies…you're not getting rid of me"

A comfortable silence fell over the room; Gail wanted him to continue but she didn't want to push him.

"The day Lucy was born…I remember being at school and feeling sick, I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen…it was just a stupid childish thing but I felt uneasy all day. At about five o'clock dad took Mum to hospital, Gran made us tea and Julie left to go to a friend's house; once Scott went to bed Gran and I just sat in the lounge watching television waiting for the news, what we thought would be good news. Gran tried to get me to go to bed but I refused…in the end she let me stay up. It was really late when dad called…I remember seeing Gran's face…it was white almost ghostlike. She put the phone down and hugged me then she told me . . . . I couldn't believe it, I begged her to let me go to the hospital, I needed to see mum but Gran flatly refused."

Gail saw the tears in Paul's eyes; she snuggled closer to him and placed her head on his shoulder.

Paul continued "I cried myself to sleep that night…huh, the only time since then that I've felt such pain was yesterday when I realised you had left me. Gail I don't want to lose you; I love you too much and nothing is more important to me, and I admit I'm scared, what if you go into that delivery room and I never see you again" raising his voice in suggestion.

Gail looked at him, smiled and held his chin in her hand "Robbo, you're not getting out of things that easily, I want you there with me in the delivery room, and I will see these children with you and no-one else first. Everything will be fine….this is what we both want…these babies are so special…something I never thought I would have…you've been so supportive with the IVF, we will get through this together I promise"

Paul stroked her face "I'm sorry…I guess I've been preoccupied today and neglected you, but I just didn't feel I could talk about what was bothering me."

"I knew something was on your mind. Look the books I'm reading try to prepare you for the birth, I'm not ashamed to say that I'm a little nervous about what to expect . . . . the pain"

"I guess we have both been pre-occupied then! It's just it has brought memories of Mum's death back. I remember the weeks after mum's death…couldn't eat, sleep and schoolwork just wasn't important. Lucy was still in the hospital which I guess was a relief for Dad, he used to visit her and pretend everything was okay but I knew it wasn't. When she came home; she was so small, so fragile…it took a while for Dad to accept her…of course; Julie was in her element and took charge during the day. Sometimes Dad was like a zombie…you could be talking to him and he'd look straight through you, the family was falling apart…Gran did what she could but Dad was determined to look after his own family.

Paul paused and looked down, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Darling, that sounds awful"

"Well Lucy was a really good baby, hardly ever cried except when hungry or a nappy change. Dad used to have her in his room at night, or so we thought but I got up one night walked into the living room and there she was, alone in her bassinet. I didn't know if to tell someone so in the end I stayed awake until Dad was asleep and go and sit with Lucy. I used to force myself to stay awake so that the minute she cried I could feed her.

"but how did you do that without anybody knowing?"

After a few weeks of that I was exhausted, my schoolwork was suffering and I would just fall asleep at the dinner table. Gran asked me what was wrong and I told her..it was then that she told Dad that she was going to move in. It was her that kept the family together…without her I dread to think what would have happened"

Paul's voice was getting quieter in tone and Gail could sense that he was finding it harder to talk about his memories. He started to fiddle with the cushion corner as a distraction.

"It must have been difficult for her; I mean grieving for her lost daughter and worrying about the family"

"She just got on with it…she became focused on us and Dad; gradually Dad started to look after Lucy more but he still had to work so Gran stayed, I couldn't imagine Ramsay Street without her when I was growing up."

"I know what you mean, it didn't seem right when she got her own unit last year. Paul, have you ever talked to your Dad or Helen about this?"

"Mum's death is something we just don't talk about…I guess we're always reminded of it on Lucy's birthday or at least I am and I'm sure Dad and Gran are, I think Scott was too young to realise what was going on…I've never talked to him about it in fact I've never talked to anyone about it until now"

"What do you remember most about your mum?"

Paul smiled and laughingly replied "Her smile, the way every time she smiled her eyes lit up; Lucy looks so much like her"

Gail laughed when a thought struck her. Sitting up and getting Paul's attention by placing her hand on his chest "Paul…we haven't even thought of any names but what do you think of Lucinda Anne if we have a girl?"

Cheekily smiling broadly for the first time in a little while Paul replied "Nah….not really a boy's name is it?"

Gail gently hit him "Who said anything about all boys…"

"I think one Lucy in this family is enough for anyone" Paul laughed but looking at Gail, he suddenly realised she was serious "You're serious aren't you!"

"Yes!…besides we'd call her Lucinda and not shorten it"

Maybe…uhhh, just don't know what Julie will think about it"

"Hey these are our children not hers and you can put her on to me if she starts" playfully nudging Paul " after all Lucy is the founder member of my fan club remember?"

"Of course, I'd forgotten about that…okay so if one of these babies is a boy..we'll call him after your Dad."

Gail paused, looked down and went quiet. Paul sensed the change of mood; cursing himself for being so focused on his own feelings and his mum he'd forgotten that Gail was still grieving for her father; he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him "I'm sorry" he whispered kissing her forehead.

"I know…" she replied "I just can't believe he's gone..but I guess these babies are just proof that life goes on; how about Robert James Robinson if we have a boy?"

Paul smiled "If you want…now we just have to come up with a couple more boys and girls names, we just don't know what surprises are waiting for us!"

"Chico, Harpo or Groucho…what do you think?" Gail asked teasingly

Paul grimaced "I can see our children hating us forever if we gave them those names, at least we got two names; let's see what name we like when we see them"

Gail nodded her head in agreement "Are you okay with them being born on your mum's birthday?"

"Sure"

For the first time since the night before Gail looked at Paul and thought he looked more relaxed and almost relieved that he had talked about his feelings. She still felt a little guilty how she hadn't guessed there was something wrong before now, but they had talked and that was the important thing.

Paul looked at his watch "Gags, what do you want to do this afternoon?"

"I did notice that you didn't get the cots made up" Gail smiled "Do you want to ask your Dad to help and get them finished?"

"I have been working in there!, I've just been preoccupied, maybe I'll ask Dad tonight and see if he is available tomorrow morning…right now I want to spend some time with you"

Turning to kiss Paul tenderly Gail smiled. Just those words from Paul eased the unhappiness and loneliness she had experienced over the past couple of weeks "How about we get out of here and go for a walk..we could go to the park and get an ice cream"

"Sounds good to me…you sit there while I wash the dishes" Paul said gently kissing her.

Gail watched him in the kitchen and smiled to herself; she knew without a doubt that she loved Paul, today had just confirmed that even more, no other man had ever come close to what she felt for him; getting up from the sofa, she walked over towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Hey I told you to stay on the sofa" Paul laughed

"Since when do I take any notice of you Robinson" Gail replied, resting her head on his shoulder she whispered in his ear "I love you so much"

Paul turned and smiled "I love you too…I don't know if I could live without you"

"That's good then as you don't have to…I'm here and I'm staying; all I want is for you to stop being a workaholic"

Wiping his hands on the tea towel Paul pulled her closer to him as he kissed her holding her face with both hands; as he held her tighter he felt the kick of one of the babies, laughing he gently pulled away "I'll be glad when these three make an appearance maybe then I won't be interrupted when I'm trying to kiss my wife!"

"Don't bank on it, you'll just be kept up all night by our children…come on let's go and get some fresh air, it will do us both good."

Twenty minutes later Paul and Gail stepped out into the bright sunshine.

"You sure you don't feel tired?" Paul asked

Gail smiled "Of course not, I've been resting all morning I need to get out"

They drove in a comfortable silence to the park. Gail relaxed and closed her eyes. Paul glanced at her and smiled; realising that this was what he wanted; just him and Gail together, looking after their children. On arriving at the park, Paul got out first and opened the door for Gail; she smiled whilst struggling to elegantly get out of the car, Paul tried to stifle a laugh but Gail was already on to him and shot him a knowing frown

"sorry, I'm not laughing at you but the look of concentration on your face!"

"well, any day you want to swap just let me know; after all you could say that it is your fault I'm in this condition!"

"Oooh, from my knowledge darling, I think there just might be a problem swapping places!"

Paul and Gail walked quietly around the lake hand in hand and came to a stop to sit on the bench where they watched the children play.

"In two years time, that will be our children playing there!" Gail said

"and we'll be having a sleep as we'll be so worn out!!" replied Paul teasingly

"Yeah" Gail smiled, looking at Paul she wondered what their children would be like; who would they look like or whose temper would they have.

Paul looked at her "Yo, what are you thinking?"

"Oh, I was miles away, I was just wondering what these three will be like…whether they will be their own characters or take more after you or me"

"Hopefully a bit of both…your beauty and my brains"

"Hey watch it!" Gail teasingly hit him "There's nothing wrong with my brains…"

"Of course not…you were smart enough to marry me weren't you"

Gail laughed "Robinson..you are so full of yourself"

Paul looked at her "Do you ever regret our marriage . . . . . . I mean how we started out?"

Gail looked at Paul and looked down thoughtfully for a minute, yes she regretted the initial reason they married but she didn't regret marrying him.

"Darling I love you…you know that, the only thing I regret is the reason we did it…it should have been because we loved each other and not a business deal, but perhaps we wouldn't have been here now if it were different back then, who knows!. The most important thing now is that it's all changed – for the better, and knowing how much having a family meant to you made me realise how much I really wanted a baby with you. I hadn't even considered it a possibility until then."

Paul smiled "fair comment"

Gail broke the silence "if I could turn back time I think I would have liked a church blessing"

"We could still do that"

Gail laughed "Get married for the third time…maybe in 23 years time on our 25 anniversary"

"I like the sound of that" Paul said

"God…I cringe when I think of that first wedding.. I hated having to lie to the family"

"When do you think things changed between us?" Paul asked "I mean from friendship to something more"

Gail laughed "To be honest I couldn't really tell you . . . . . it's a long time ago now. I think I tried to block out any thoughts of those sort of feelings"

"Go on tell me, I'm intrigued, I know when"

"Well, there was your 'friend' Crystal, I felt, I don't know, as if I was missing out then. I remember us kissing after we explained or rather lied to Lucy about Crystal and how much in love we were; the look on your face was shock, almost disgust and I knew that nothing could ever happen between us"

Paul pulled her closer to him and kissed her "Ah, I think I was more surprised than anything; we had both agreed that there would never be any emotional strings…that the most important thing was business and protecting ourselves from being hurt again…we overstepped the mark and I put the barriers up again; beside I knew that the women I had relationships with didn't stay around long, and I didn't want to lose the best friend I had"

Gail looked at him sadly "There were times that I hated the way things were; keeping our distance; the evening you got the call about Lucy being sick, I wanted to go with you but you stopped me"

"Wasn't your Dad there though? You needed to be with him, beside I had the rest of my family with me…there wasn't any point in you being there…you needed to sort things out with Rob"

"That's exactly what I mean"

Paul looked confused

"You said your family was at the hospital and at that point I wasn't part of that; we had a business contract….we were two friends living in the same house; working in the same office but that was where it ended"

Paul stroked the side of her face "I don't know…I had built up so many barriers that I couldn't let myself feel anything emotional but with Lucy so ill, I was vulnerable and I couldn't show that, if you had shown me any kind of comfort I'm honestly not sure what would have happened to our relationship…something was changing, I missed you but couldn't tell you that"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think you would feel the same way, I was scared of rejection, and when Glen arrived I realised I didn't have a chance. The evening you went out with him I felt so down; I guess I was jealous but I didn't realize back then"

"Paul you could have joined us, I asked you to"

Paul laughed "I didn't want to play gooseberry"

Rolling her eyes Gail gently punched his arm "Glen complained that I talked about you the entire evening! I remember hoping that you would join us and watching the door"

Teasingly Gail said "I seem to remember Glen saying that he had hoped I wasn't happy in my marriage . . . quite flattering really!"

Gaining a snide glance from Paul in the process.

"But that night when you came home you told me that you hadn't really enjoyed yourself or something like that; you were preoccupied but I just thought that was because of work"

"No…Glen remarked that I hadn't stopped talking about you all night long and that I was obviously in love with you and there was no room in my life for him…I guess it got me thinking"

Paul closed his eyes "I nearly knocked on your door after you said goodnight . . . "

"Maybe you should have?" raising an eyebrow whilst smiling at Paul.

"Okay…can I ask you a question?" Paul asked

"Sure…can't promise I'll answer" Gail said whilst sitting up and straightening her back.

"The evening I walked into the house and overheard you and Gran talking…she asked you if you loved me…"

Nodding her head remembering the conversation "and I replied"

"Did you mean it?"

"Paul…I would never look Helen in the eye and lie to her; of course I meant it and I knew you had overheard. You looked so smug when you walked into the living room and I knew it had nothing to do with giving Henry his job back"

"When I asked you about that later why didn't you tell me the truth?"

"Like you say the relationship was purely business, if I had told you the truth I didn't know what you would say…I needed to hear how you felt before I said anything. Going to New York was supposed to be a way to clear my head…give me some space but I missed you so much and I knew I couldn't hide my feelings anymore, I needed to get away from that farce of a marriage because I was in too deep"

Laughing, Paul commented "The afternoon that you left, I came home to say goodbye; the window was closed and I told you that I'd miss you but you didn't hear!"

"We were silly weren't we…we wasted so much time and missed out on so much"

"Do you ever think about how your life would have changed if you had gone to New York…I mean the job that Rosemary offered you would have been a promotion?"

Gail didn't even need to think of a response "No…the minute you told me you loved me…New York was a distant memory…I finally had what I wanted….you"

Paul kissed her tenderly on the lips and laughed "Thank goodness for Scottie"

Yes you're brother; he was like a dog with a bone; he just wouldn't give up"

"Tell me about it, .but he made me realize that if I let you walk out my life without telling you how I felt then I'd regret it"

Gail laughed sarcastically "Yeah nothing like leaving it until the 11th hour; I should have known Scott was up to something when he offered to drive me to the airport"

Paul laughed "Better late than never…look what we would have missed out on if I had let you go"

"I know" Gail said "There is so much to look forward to; watching our children grow up; the first steps; the first words but the one thing promise me that you will never put business before your family"

Paul put his arm around her "Cross my hear, I won't I promise; just at this moment I regret buying the Daniels Corporation but it was just that I had worked so hard building the business up"

Gail smiled "We both worked hard and I'm not asking you to give it up, just look at different ways of working so you don't have to work half the night. I love you and I want to share these children with you; I know you want them as much as I do"

"I'm going to ask Rosemary to take on more help for the office, and see if she can suggest any ways to reduce the loans" Paul looked at her "You know there's no reason why you can't come back to the office…even part time, I mean we've got the crèche there…I just miss having you around"

Gail smiled and squeezed his hand "We'll see…but you could always bring work home with you during the afternoons especially if it can be done away from the office, ah but before you get any ideas Robbo that does not mean you can bring work home to do all weekend"

"Okay, okay let's make a pact; the weekends are for family only; picnics in the park, trips to the beach or whatever else" Paul said

"Fine by me" Gail replied "And we take proper holidays…we don't let work takeover"

"Uhhh,. . . . .the past few months have been crazy haven't they?"

"You could say that but things can get better, I mean yesterday I walked out on you thinking that our marriage was over and now look at us…I can't think of any place I'd rather be than with you"

Paul kissed her, gently pulling her closer to him "We need to communicate; if something is wrong we tell each other and never let things get to the point that they did yesterday…I admit I was in the wrong; I was thoughtless and probably deserved what happened but I thought you knew how I felt about you"

"Deep down I think I did, but grief does funny things to you and all I could see was your obsession with the business and how we were…I felt I wasn't just grieving for the death of my father but for the death of our marriage" Gail said sadly

Paul closed his eyes; he felt an overwhelming sense of sadness at how Gail had felt; opening his eyes he gently stroked her face he looked into her eyes "I love you more than life itself and nothing is more important to me than you….you taught me how to love again; how to trust someone again and know that they won't let you down"

Gail felt the tears form in her eyes "That's all I want to hear…I love you too"

Paul looked at her and smiled "Hey how about we get that ice cream and then head home"

Gail brightened "Okay…sounds good to me"

They walked around the park eating their ice cream; both reflecting on the day's events; finally they had opened up to each other completely and felt better for it. Paul vegged out on the sofa reading the paper whilst Gail put her feet up on his lap and had an afternoon nap.

"Yo, anyone home?"

Helen was in the kitchen when Paul and Gail arrived later that evening.

"Hey you two…everything okay?"

"Sure" both replied

"When is dinner, I'm starving" Paul said

Gail replied "hey gutsy"

"Soon…your father has just taken Lucy to Emma's, she's staying the night.

"I thought it was just you and the kids tonight" Gail replied

"So did I, but the kids have both got better offers . . . . "

Gail playfully placed her hand on Paul's chest and teased "Isn't that a shame Darling, you were so looking forward to a game of Twister!"

Helen laughed "An old friend of Beverley's phoned her; apparently she's spending the weekend here and wanted to meet up, so Jim told her to go, he didn't mind cancelling their evening out. Between you and me I think he wanted to see you both; he's still worried about yesterday"

Paul frowned "Everything is fine"

Gail agreed "You know what we're like…we always manage to sort things out eventually, maybe with a little help"

Helen looked at them, they seemed more relaxed than they had the night before "What time is Rosemary coming tomorrow; I forgot to ask her as I was so surprised to hear she was coming"

"I think just before lunch about 11.30am"

"Do you want me to pick her up?"

Paul thought for a moment "Mmm that would be great, I was going to ask Dad for some help putting the cots up in the nursery so we could do that in the morning"

"And I could make lunch for everyone" Gail said

Paul looked at her "Ahem I don't think so; you're supposed to be resting remember"

Gail smirked as she said "Okay you have two choices either I make lunch or I supervise you and Jim putting up the cots…the choice is yours"

Paul laughed remembering her supervision when he was trying to put up the drawers "Okay you can make lunch but I'm going to keep an eye on you so that you don't overdo things"

Gail rolled her eyes "Relax making a few sandwiches and salad isn't going to be too exhausting"

Jim arrived complaining how much Lucy had taken with her for just one night. They sat down to a relaxing dinner and the conversation steered away from the events of the previous day and to plans for the next. After dinner Helen suggested that Paul and Jim wash up while she and Gail move in to the lounge for coffee. Jim tried to get out of the washing up by suggesting going to the Waterhole but Paul declined saying he'd sooner stay in. Moving into the lounge Gail and Helen sat down on the sofa and picked up one of the photo albums on the coffee table. Helen looked at Gail; in her eyes the despair of the past week had disappeared, she looked happy and contented.

"You sure everything is okay…how's Paul?" she asked

Gail smiled "He's absolutely fine…we had a long chat, I know what's been bothering him, I think we spoke about things that he's never spoken to anyone about..It's funny…." Gail looked down thoughtfully

"What?" Helen asked as she lent forward and started to poor the coffee and herbal tea.

Gail looked towards the kitchen, she knew that if Paul overheard her his ego would be inflated but she wanted to say it, lowering her voice she looked at Helen and smiled Wistfully she explained "When you're a teenager you think you have life figured out; you find that one special love and you think no-one else will come close….that's how I felt about Jeremy…that he was the one" Gail laughed "My one true love and that no-one else would ever take his place; I could never feel for another man what I felt for him but then ten years down the line things change..you realize that what you felt back then was just a romantic notion; that the person who you loved most in the world hurts you and lets you down, just when you think that you're through with love and romance someone comes along and turns your world upside down. What I feel for Paul is stronger and more powerful; I love him so much and I want to spend the rest of my life with him; my one true love…the one special person in my life is Paul not Jeremy…even though he drives me crazy at times"

Helen looked at her as silence filled the room, Gail looked at her and smiled "I know for a fact that if it had been Jeremy I had walked out on yesterday I would have kept on walking but…I couldn't bring myself to leave Paul."

"You two are good for each other; I always thought that even when you were just business partners"

Gail grimaced "I hate that…we talked about it this afternoon and I don't regret marrying him just the reason we did it which at the time seemed a good idea. I hated the lies we told but thinking back I think we were lying to ourselves more than anyone else"

"It's irrelevant now; I mean what you have now is more important and from what I can see it's solid"

The room fell into silence as they looked through the family album; Gail every now and again commented on what a cute baby her husband was; half an hour later Paul and Jim walked in. Paul grimaced when he saw what they were looking at.

"Dad just please tell me that you've taken out the photos of me in the bath"

"Too late…seen those already!" Gail laughed

Paul rolled his eyes "What is it about parents taking photos of their children in the bath, don't they realize how embarrassing it is"

"I'll remind you of this conversation when you're doing the same thing in a couple of months" Gail laughed

Helen moved over to the opposite side of the room so that Paul could sit by Gail; the couple locked hands as they looked through the photos together. Jim and Helen watched and exchanged a look; relieved that things were finally okay between them; they seemed so together. Laughter filled the room as Jim and Helen picked up one of the other albums. Gail teased Paul about the school photographs of him in short trousers asking him why he didn't wear them in the office when the weather was hot; Paul although filled with embarrassment was happy to hear his wife's laughter.

"Gail you just better hope you're children don't turn out like their father" Jim said

"Why…he's quite cute really"

Jim laughed "I guess so…but from the moment he could speak his favorite words were 'one more', 'one more ice cream…one more go on the swings…one more hamburger…one more story…one more hour before bedtime'. It used to drive us crazy"

"And neither one of you could refuse him" Helen interrupted

"You were just as bad…you think Lucy was spoilt…good grief she doesn't even come close to how much Paul got away with" Jim said "His fourth birthday party…Anne was up with him all night long because she allowed him to eat too much chocolate ice cream and he was sick"

Gail laughed "Paul…you don't like chocolate ice cream"

"Now you know why" Jim laughed "Then on the evening of his seventh birthday I caught him sneaking out of the house; to go into the garage to ride his bike…it was 9pm and he was supposed to be in bed"

"I remember that" Helen said "In his dressing gown and slippers"

"Scott was just as bad" Paul said in his own defense.

"I agree…Scott was mischievous but he learnt that from you; Julie was just bossy and Lucy…just knew how to wrap everyone around her finger" Jim said

Gail continued looking at the photos; suddenly she held one up "How could anyone refuse a child with a face that cute"

Paul grimaced when he saw the picture…his face and tee shirt were covered in chocolate ice cream.

Jim looked at a picture of Paul with his mother and quietly said "The truth was she worshipped you; you were her first born and although I shouldn't say it, her favorite. She thought the sun shone out of you and would give you anything you wanted"

"I know how she felt" Gail said quietly

Jim handed the album to Paul and Gail. Gail moved closer to Paul and put her head on his shoulder. She saw the tears in his eyes and squeezed his hand, trying to comfort him. Paul composed himself and looked at his father.

"What happened to her…why did she die?"

Jim was silent "It was a long time ago Paul, not now"

"But we've never talked about it; we shut it up and pretended that she was just a memory"

Jim looked down then looked at Gail; memories of Anne pregnant with Lucy came flooding back and he was transported back over 12 years "I don't think it's something we should talk about now"

"Why?"

Jim tried to lighten the mood "That was another of your favorite words"

Gail looked at Paul tightening her grip on his hand. Jim looked at Gail and saw her nod slightly to him and then saw Paul needed to know the truth.

"Okay…Paul your mother was ill, she had extremely high blood pressure during the pregnancy; the doctors were worried about pre eclampsia and at one point they even suggested terminating the pregnancy for Anne's own safety but she wouldn't hear of it. She said that if it was a choice between her life and her baby's, then the baby came first. I pleaded with her to change her mind but she was so stubborn and refused, it caused a rift between us. She went into labour early which in some respect was a relief as we felt the longer she lasted the more chance of something going wrong; her kidneys, liver . . . .. She came through the birth okay but suffered a brain hemorrhage later which in turn caused a massive heart attack..there was nothing any of the doctors could do"

"Why didn't I know she was ill?"

"Paul…she knew you too well; she knew if you thought something was really wrong you'd worry and she didn't want that, as it was towards the end you were constantly by her side every moment you could be. She loved you so much she didn't want you to worry about her"

Paul felt the tears in his eyes; gently letting go of Gail's hand he said he would go and get some fresh coffee and more biscuits. A tense silence filled the air. Jim was the first to speak.

"Gail…I'm sorry I didn't want to say anything"

"It's okay…he had a really bad dream last night and it made him think of his mother…she's been on his mind a lot today…I think he needed to know the truth" Gail replied

"Shall I go and see him?" Jim asked

Gail smiled "No…I'll go"

Gail carefully got up and walked into the kitchen; she found Paul standing by the sink filling the kettle. She walked up to him and gently placed her hand on his back.

"Hey" She said

Paul turned at the sound of her voice; she pulled him into an embrace whispering words of reassurance, when they pulled away he looked at her

"How could I not know that she was so ill?"

"Darling people are good at hiding feelings from people…come on we're the prime example. Maybe you're more like her than you realize"

"mmm" Paul replied with a hint of a smile.

The couple were silent for a while, both content to be in each others company each one knowing what the other was thinking without the need for words. Paul broke the silence.

"Glad you're here Mrs Robbo"

Gail smiled "So am I. How about we go back in there and look at some more pictures"

Paul smiled as he took the drinks tray and biscuits back in to the living room with Gail. Sitting back down Jim looked across at Paul.

"Okay mate?"

Paul nodded "Yes…I just wanted to know the truth but I didn't realize how it would affect me"

The conversation turned back to the photographs; Gail snuggled up to Paul even closer.

"So tell me about the mischievous side of my husband" Gail said looking at Jim.

"Where do I start?... I remember his second Christmas; he was about 15 months old and had just started toddling although he was faster while crawling. Unfortunately one day Anne was busy in the nursery; one minute he was quietly playing with his toys next he was out the door before she turned around."

"I remember another time" Helen replied "I walked in to find Paul on the floor surrounded by wrapping paper and every Christmas present unpacked. I think that was the last time we left presents under the tree when the children were little"

Paul laughed "That was not me, it was Julie"

Jim laughed "I don't think so..in fact there must be a picture in here somewhere" he said as he looked through the album, finding the page he needed he put the album on the coffee table and turned it to face Paul and Gail.

Gail laughed "Guilty as charged darling"

"He was always was so impatient" Helen said

"Still is" Gail replied, resting her head on Paul's shoulder as she slipped her hand through his arm.

Gail continued flicking through the photographs and smiled when she saw a picture of Paul holding baby Lucy.

"I forgot about that picture" Paul said, he took the book and turned it towards Jim.

"She was four months old; the day of her christening, the funny thing about that day was that she cried so much Helen nor I could settle her, she cried through the christening, finally we placed her back in her cot and hoped she'd settled down eventually, five minutes later she was still crying so Paul went to her and just talked to her; I remember watching him gently pick her up and she stopped. I don't know if it was because she was tired or if she just felt safe in his arms" Jim said

Gail smiled "I hope you're going to have that magic with ours" she said

Paul looked at her "No we are going to make terrific parents, I told you once that we will give our child as much love as it can handle and we will"

Jim went back to looking at the photographs occasionally glancing at the couple opposite him; Gail's head was on Paul's shoulder and their hands were locked as one, relief flowed through him when he realized that these two were going to make it; he hadn't seen them this happy and together in ages. Helen looked at her watch it was nearly nine o'clock.

"How about I make some more coffee?" she said

"Do you want some help?" Gail asked

Helen shook her head "You stay there…Jim can help"

Jim followed Helen into the kitchen while Paul and Gail continued flicking through the albums, stopping every now and again and laughing.

"Are you getting tired?" Paul asked

"A little bit" Gail admitted "But I don't want to go just yet; you know, I love being part of this family"

Paul smiled "This family loves having you in it, especially me"

Jim stood by the kitchen sink while Helen made the coffee; he felt tired.

"Those two look so happy, yesterday I thought their marriage was over but seeing them tonight…"

"I know…the only problem they really have is Paul's obsession with work and lack of communication. At the end of the day there's a strong connection between them that I don't really think they understand" Helen replied distantly thinking "They just need our support especially once the babies are born".

"Seeing Gail tonight reminded me of Anne pregnant with Lucy but Gail looks so much healthier; she has a glow about her" Jim said

"I know, Paul is worried about her but I think it will be fine;' she's done everything by the book…oooh I can't wait to see my great grandchildren"

"Christmas is going to be fun this year" Jim said

They wandered back into the living room and Jim placed the tray with coffee and biscuits on the table. They sat chatting while they drank and every now and again Jim would tell another story about Paul's childhood. Paul sensed Gail was falling asleep as her head became heavier on his shoulder.

"Hey" he said, kissing her gently on the head "Wake up sleepy head"

Gail opened her eyes and smiled "I'm sorry, I guess it's been a long day"

Paul looked at his watch "Thanks for a lovely evening Gran, but I think it's time we went home; someone needs their bed"

"I'm fine" Gail said "Just a while longer"

"Don't you start" Jim laughed accusingly at Gail "What time do you want me to come around tomorrow"

Paul looked at Gail "How about 10am"

"Fine"

"Gran you don't mind picking Rosemary up?" Paul asked

"No I told her I probably would" Helen replied

Jim and Helen walked the couple to the door, after saying goodnight Paul and Gail walked hand in hand across the street. Paul turned as they entered

"Do you want a herbal tea or tea tea?"

"mmm"

"Yo, Gail, anybody home?"

"Oh, sorry, I was thinking"

"Anything interesting?"

"Silly really, I suddenly thought how much I had enjoyed myself tonight yet I was only at Dad's funeral yesterday"

Paul knew however he replied he would still feel a pain of guilt of how Rob came to have his car crash.

"Darling . . . . "

"I know, Dad wouldn't want me to dwell on anything"

"Well, I was going to say that he was always the life and soul of the party more"

Gail smiled at Paul "yeah, you're right"

As Gail turned to go upstairs Paul caught her arm and faced her "Hey you, thanks for everything; for being my best friend, my wife and the mother of my children"

Gail smiled "I could say the same about you…we're in this together and nothing can divide us. Not going soft now are you Robbo"

Later Gail sat up reading a parenthood book whilst Paul was on his front falling in to a light sleep. Gail looked at him and smiled; she was relieved to hear him sleeping soundly unlike the previous night. Eventually she put the bedside light out and made herself as comfortable as possible beside Paul.


	4. Chapter 4

**Once again, I'd like to thank my friendly Ghost-writer for all her inspiration and help with this story.**

The following morning Paul awoke to Gail looking down at him.

"Hey" he said as he put his arm up to rub her shoulder "Couldn't you sleep?"

Gail smiled "Just woke up about ten minutes ago, you looked so peaceful…except for the snoring"

"I do not snore" Paul protested

Gail shook her head and smirked "You snore darling…one day I'll make a tape recording of it just to prove it to you"

Paul laughed, sitting up he pulled Gail closer to him "How's my favourite girl?" he asked

"I feel fine…these three are still kicking but other than that everything's okay…what about you"

As he rubbed his eyes and yawned Paul replied "Fine…I feel slightly strange after yesterday…talk about every emotion you can handle!"

"It was one of those days"

Shaking his head Paul said "I still can't get my head around the fact that Mum was ill and I never noticed"

Gail sighed "It can't have been easy for her…knowing that she was putting her life in danger"

Paul looked down at Gail's growing stomach, placing his hand on her he felt the tiny kick and smiled; his children were thriving and reassuringly by the looks of it so was his wife.

"Gail…if you had to make that choice what would you have done? Do you think she was wrong to do what she did when she already had three children?"

Gail looked at him and paused "Well to be honest you're asking the wrong person, no I don't think she was wrong to do what she did, in fact she was incredibly brave to stand up for what she thought was right when possibly everyone else thought different. Darling she would have felt Lucy moving inside her and while everyone else may have been thinking that the fact she already had three children she wouldn't have seen it like that; for her that child, although she hadn't seen it or named it was as precious as you, Julie and Scott and she would do anything to protect it, give it a chance to live, even choosing it's life over hers"

"Which is what she did" Paul said quietly

Gail sighed sadly "I wish things had been different; that she had lived and seen Lucy grow up. I wish we could have met, she loved her children I would love to have seen her with our children"

"I know" Paul said "She would have been just like Gran was with us; getting back to the question I just asked you…what would you have done if you had been in the same position?"

Gail closed her eyes, trying to fight the tears that were beginning to form, she didn't have to think of an answer, opening her eyes she gently stroked Paul's face and smiled "Darling we've been so lucky that we haven't been placed in a position that we even have to consider anything like that…but if you want the honest truth…I would have done the same as your Mum…these children are so precious… I couldn't do anything that would harm them"

Paul took her hand "I'm so glad we never had to make any choices like that; we've got eight more days left before these children are born…let's make the most of them I want to spend every moment I can with you"

"Fine, you'll have no arguments by me" Gail said

At the risk of mentioning the office Paul said "But you do realise I have to go into work tomorrow…just to hand things over to Rosemary so she knows what's going on"

"Of course" Gail smiled

Paul kissed Gail before turning to sit on the side of the bed.

"How much does Lucy know about what happened to her Mother?"

Without turning around Paul replied quietly "Obviously not the truth…all that Dad told her was that Mum was ill and died when she was a newborn baby. There are no dates on Mum's headstone so Lucy can't put two and two together. He felt it was something she didn't need to know…at the end of the day it would hurt her"

"True" Gail said thoughtfully "She's been through enough without knowing the true reason behind what happened to her Mum"

Paul looked at his watch as he turned to look at Gail "I guess it's all water under the bridge now…thinking about it won't bring Mum back"

"No…but talking about things help, .look at yesterday; I knew something was bothering you and you needed to talk but didn't want to, you were brooding but when you finally told me it helped and it's made us stronger. Yesterday was good because I finally got back the man I love and married" Gail said, looking deep into his eyes.

Paul moved closer and kissed her "How about?" he whispered tenderly.

"How about what?" smiled Gail.

Paul pulled away with a smirk on his face "How about I go downstairs and make us some breakfast?"

Gail laughed and rolled her eyes "Such a romantic..mind you it's been a long time since you brought me breakfast in bed"

"Rub it in why don't you?" Paul laughed as he pulled on his dressing gown and headed out the door.

Gail laid back in bed, placing her hand on her stomach she felt the comfortable kick of the life growing inside her; she knew it wouldn't be long before the triplets birth…they were restless but at least they were healthy…she smiled as she heard the sound of Paul clanging plates and pans in the kitchen downstairs.

An hour later, having finished a lazy breakfast in bed and discussed the outstanding work in the nursery the couple went downstairs to wash the dishes.

"I still think we can train these three not to wake up and want feeding at the same time, it's just a matter of organisation"

Gail rolled her eyes and laughed "Just how do you propose to do that Robbo?"

"We could have a rota"

Gail looked at him, a little nervous that he might just be serious and shook her head "Paul are you suggesting that we set up a rota and present this to them when we bring them home and tell them they're only allowed to wake at the times specified…I can really see this working!"

"Oh I don't know there must be some way otherwise it's going to be mayhem with the three of them crying and wanting feeding and only the two of us. We haven't got enough hands"

"I think we need to suggest to the neighbours that they invest in some sound proofing for their walls…as I can imagine it won't be just us waking up in the middle of the night"

Taking the suggestion seriously Paul replied "I hadn't even thought of that…how are we going to cope?"

Gail put her arms around him "We'll cope…just remember we're a team and a good team at that. Don't go getting cold feet on me now Robbo; this is what we both want. We've got your family close by and I'm sure they'll help out as much as possible. Maybe the first year will be difficult but once we're past that hurdle everything will be fine and we'll look back and wonder what we were worried about"

"Yeah you're right, as usual" realising suddenly what Gail had just done Paul chipped in "hey you, get those wet hands away from me!"

"When is your next scan?" Paul asked "Isn't it tomorrow?"

"I thought it was but I checked again its Tuesday, so you don't have to worry about being too long at the office. I know you've got a lot to go through with Rosemary" Gail replied.

"Hopefully it won't take too long" Paul said

Gail smiled and gently stroked his cheek "Darling its fine…I might spend the day with Helen."

Paul smiled "She'll like that…but don't forget you're supposed be resting"

As Paul poured himself another cup of coffee their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the back door opening.

"Yo Dad" Paul said "You ready to start work on the nursery"

Gail laughed "Paul let the man step through the door before you jump on him…talk about Mr impatient"

"Do you want a coffee before this slave driver takes you upstairs, Jim" Gail asked

"That would be good….I'm sure it won't take that long to put the cots up" Jim said "How are you two today?"

Gail smiled "We're fine in fact Paul has just come up with this amazing idea of having a rota so that the babies don't all wake up at the same time, haven't you darling"

"I didn't say that!" Paul said "I just said that it's going to be difficult if they are all demand feeding at once…we could cope with two babies, but not three…if we had something like a rota"

Jim laughed "One problem with that newborn babies is you can't predict them…but I dare say if anybody can cope with three babies it's you two…..look how good you are as business partners"

Gail laughed "Yes well I have a feeling running Lassiters is easy compared to looking after three babies…but I'm up to the challenge"

Paul looked at her, putting an arm around her shoulders and smiled "We both are"

"Christmas is going be crazy this year though especially in our household" Jim said

"Why…because of these three?"

"Yes but also Julie is planning a visit…so you can guess we've got a houseful"

Whilst drinking his coffee Paul commented "I wonder why Julie wants to come home this Christmas…I mean she hasn't been back for several years"

"I've no idea…maybe she felt it was time to come for a visit…I mean you haven't even seen your niece and I've only seen her once…I have a sneaky feeling though that with your three on their way she may feel that we've forgotten Hannah"

"But it will be good to have the whole family here…Rosemary will hopefully still be here and Helen will be pleased" Gail said with a brief thought about meeting Julie at last after hearing the various stories of her authoritative character. Paul looked at Gail and raised his eyebrows in dismay as she smiled back.

"If it was only Julie, Phil and Hannah it would be fine..but there's the two older children, I can imagine the arguments already….Michael blames Julie for his parents' splitting up and they've never got on when they were here…can't imagine it's any different now" Jim said

"Well if you're worried about having a full house…Helen and Lucy could always stay here" Gail said

Jim looked at Gail and smiled "I have a feeling you two will have enough on your hands without two more house guests"

"Yes but if it helps out I'm sure we'll find a way to cope" Gail said

"Besides I'm sure we can find them a job here!" Paul chipped in.

"We'll see" Jim replied "I'm tempted to suggest they stay at Lassiters"

Paul laughed "Jules would love that…Dad I'm sure things will be fine"

Jim sighed "I don't know, this Christmas was supposed to be about you two; helping out with the babies and making sure you were okay but now with Julie coming…"

"Yeah and I can imagine I'm going to get it in the neck as well" Paul said "She's still not happy that we didn't invite her to our wedding"

"So much for a nice peaceful Christmas" Jim said "talking of which we better get started on putting these cots up otherwise your children will be sleeping in drawers"

Gail laughed "They'll probably be small enough to"

Paul walked up behind Gail and placed his hands on her shoulder massaging them, gently kissing her neck "Are you going to be okay down here?" he said "Do you want anything?"

Gail looked up at him and tapped his hand, she had all that she wanted "I'm fine, I've got my book, my tea…I'll start on lunch soon"

"Just don't overdo it" Paul said

Gail rolled her eyes as she watched the two men walk upstairs; smiling to herself she picked up her book and sat down. She felt a little tired but happy, she couldn't believe that she had her husband to herself all weekend and he hadn't showed signs of cabin fever or work withdrawal.

Standing in the doorway to the nursery Jim looked around "You really think you've got enough room in here for three cots?" he asked

Paul laughed "Well it's the second biggest bedroom; we purposely didn't buy big cots for that reason. I guess if we have to we could use the spare room but I'd sooner have the cots together in one room, for a while anyway"

"Ever thought of moving?" Jim joked shaking his head

"I suggested it a long time ago but Gail loves Ramsay Street too much…we also have you close so instant babysitters as well" Paul replied cheekily

"Don't push your luck" Jim laughed putting his hand on Paul's shoulder "You sure everything is okay?"

"Stop worrying Dad…everything is fine…things have just been crazy these past few weeks, well months to be honest, what with buying the Robinson Corporation, what happened with Rob; I guess things all blew up on Friday" Paul said. Looking down he continued "I shouldn't have left her on Friday, I read the signs wrong"

Jim walked over to start work on the first of the cots whilst Paul started to unpack the next.

"I know….I saw her face after you had gone…there just seemed so much anger and hurt there. She seemed to close down, didn't really talk, then she said she felt tired and left….we should have stopped her" Jim said

"It was nobodies fault but mine Dad…you should have stopped me…but then maybe her walking out was what I needed to bring me to my senses, the problem was I wasn't communicating with her, she thought I was only concerned with the business but I've been trying to get things organised so that I can take some time off" Paul said

Half laughing Jim replied "Paul her hormones are all over the place; believe me when the babies are born it's going to get worse..there's going to be tears, arguments, I can't count how many times your Mum and I fell out when she was expecting you" Jim said

Paul smiled "I know….I've been on the receiving end of her temper lots of times; but at the end of the day I couldn't imagine life without her. She's my best friend. We just need to talk to each other" he said

"Mmm, I have to say she looked much more relaxed last night; for some obscure reason she wants to spend time with you and not have you working all the time. She loves you; I saw just how much last night. Don't lose what you have with her" Jim said with a serious tone to his voice.

"I won't…I love her so much. I guess I always have, just didn't want to admit it at first; scared of the rejection, how wrong could I have been!" "It's strange, we were talking about the first wedding only yesterday, she mentioned about wishing we had a church blessing, perhaps I agree in a way, especially now with the children. I don't ever want them to know about the Marriage of Convenience." Paul said quietly

Jim stopped bolting the cot sides together and looked over at Paul working on the other cot "You know it's not too late"

Paul laughed slightly "yeah right, what third time lucky"

"I was thinking more of a celebration of a new family and a new start; a Christening come blessing"

Paul looked up nearly causing the cot to collapse that he was assembling. "I hadn't thought of Christenings yet, gosh there is so much, but I like the idea."

"Why don't you plan it and not tell her" Jim said "Surprise her at the Christening"

"Sounds even better, might keep it under my hat for now, just until this growing Robinson family are in a routine"

They continued working in silence for another hour or so with the odd sigh of frustration from Paul as he struggled to assemble the cots. Every now and then Jim offered to lend him a hand but Paul was adamant he was going to do at least one cot himself. Jim took the fifth "no!" from Paul to mean no and left him in peace and returned to work smiling to himself. Gail appeared in the doorway with a tray of drinks and biscuits and cleared her throat to gain their attention; Paul looked at her and shook his head whilst tutting. He put his screwdriver down and walked towards where Gail was.

"You're supposed to be resting" he said taking the tray from her "Not carrying trays of drinks upstairs"

Gail frowned "I'm okay…just got a bit bored down there so I'd thought I'd make a drink….but if you don't want it I can easily take it downstairs again"

"No…it's fine" Paul laughed placing the tray on the floor.

"That's a welcome break" said Jim

Gail looked at the nursery "You've worked hard in here today"

Jim laughed as he picked up his cup of coffee and cookie "Yes only one more cot to go…you two just couldn't make do with one baby you had to have three"

"Yep three times the trouble" Paul chipped in

"You two don't know the half of it; you just get past the sleepless nights when they're babies then you have the sleepless nights when they're teenagers…out all hours and you can't sleep until they're safely back home" Jim said

"Yes, but Dad you loved it all really, you wouldn't have missed it for the world!"

Gail laughed "Yes you've still got that part to look forward to with Lucy as well"

Jim rolled his eyes "I'm planning on locking her in her room for the next five years, I had enough worry with the other three"

"We weren't that bad" Paul said protesting and shrugging his shoulders "Well at least I wasn't"

Gail just looked at him knowingly "I bet"

A smirk came across Jim's face "Hmm now let me see who was it exactly who came home late one evening, totally drunk and dressed in nothing but a nappy and a baby's bonnet…" Jim said

"It was just a party that got out of hand that's all…we were young" Paul said in his own defence.

"You kept half the street awake that night"

Gail sat in the rocking chair laughing "Darling, now you haven't mentioned this before, is there something you should tell me?"

"Hardy de ha"

"Jim have you got any pictures?"

"Afraid not but I'm sure if you ask Des, he'll tell you all about it"

"Des, now I must remember that next time I see him" Gail replied

"Perhaps not Dad…it probably isn't a time he wants to remember" Paul said, changing the subject he looked at Gail "Hey are you okay?"

"Just got a bit bored downstairs…so I thought I'd come up here and annoy you for a while. I'm just feeling restless; my back is playing up too" she replied

Paul walked up to her and crouched beside her "How about I come down and help you with lunch, I'm sure Dad can manage up here" looking up at Jim as he said it in suggestion.

"Sure…I can" Jim looked around the room "Apart from the cots is there anything else that needs doing"

"I don't think so…we just need to go out and buy some things, like prams, nappies, bottles…things that we haven't really thought about" Paul said

"Hey you speak for yourself" Gail chipped in. "I've got a nice long shopping list for us to tackle over the next couple of days. Don't ever accuse me of not being organised".

"Before World War III starts here can I suggest you make sure that you have enough bottles so that you can make up enough feeds for 24 hours, that way you don't have to worry about making feeds in the middle of the night with the babies screaming" Jim said

"Jim, I didn't know you were so practical. I got a lot of advice from the Multiple Birth Association which has helped as well." Gail replied

"Didn't you make bottles up for Lucy?" Paul asked

"We did it with all of you; but I think with you after the age of four months you literally slept through. We could give you your last feed at 8pm and you wouldn't wake until maybe 5 or 6 the next morning. Julie was more temperamental; she would want feeding at least twice in the night…especially for the first six months, it was quite hard getting her to settle down for a full night, as for Scott…well he's just Scott…totally laid back and then Lucy…"

Paul smiled "Lucy was good from what I can remember; except for her Christening I only remember her crying when she needed feeding or a nappy change, she was such a cute baby"

"Yes and she knew just how to wrap you around her finger" Jim said "She still does and you fall for it every time"

"Do not" Paul retaliated

Jim and Gail both laughed "I can't wait to see you with our children" Gail said

"I've been thinking we also need a bigger car; I thought I might trade mine in as it's worth more than Gail's. I think we need to keep one of them" Paul said

"But that car is your pride and joy" Gail said in surprise

Paul laughed returning to Gail and taking hold of her hand "Yes, but there's more important things in life than my car now; one of us needs to change cars and I think mine would get a better part exchange"

"I'll help you choose one if you like" Jim said

"Great" Paul said "We also need car seats….I can't believe how much we still need"

Paul put down his cup and looked at his watch "Gran and Rosemary will be here soon, we better make a start on lunch, are you sure you don't mind me helping Gail?" Paul asked

"No" Jim said "You two go and spend some time together but just remember you're supposed to be making lunch!!"

Paul smiled coyly and looked back at Jim as he put his arm around Gail as they walked out of the bedroom which was fast becoming a nursery "Are you sure you're okay?" Paul asked as they headed downstairs.

"You're being a worrywart…I'm fine especially now that I have some company down here" she smiled "Come on you can do the fruit salad."

The couple set about making salad and sandwiches; Paul helped to cut fruit up to make a fruit salad while Gail prepared the sandwiches. Gail had the list of items they needed to get for the babies on the workbench and they discussed it as they prepared the meal. Gail had found out about a discount baby store on the outskirts of Erinsborough which catered for everything. They both agreed that would be their starting point after the scan on Tuesday. With that settled Paul started to lay the table for lunch.

"Are you okay about Julie coming?" Gail asked "It didn't strike me that Jim was very happy about it"

"Oh I think he's just worried about the cramp conditions in the house, I mean look what happened when Madge and Henry stayed for Christmas before; they were at each others throats most of the time" Paul said. Gail laughed "do you remember that time Madge knocked the fire hydrant over?" "Who can forget that?"

"I think it will be fine with Jules though. I haven't really spoken to her in ages…well apart from that phone call about us getting married"

"There's no reason why Helen and Lucy can't move in here though…it would make sense" Gail said

"We'll see, how things go" Paul said "Now all we need is for Scott and Charlene to turn up"

"Well they'd probably stay with Madge and Harold…I was actually hoping they join us for Christmas" Gail said quietly.

"The whole family back for Christmas…it would be just like the old days; everyone trying to get away from Jules' nagging" Paul said

"mmm" Gail went back to making the salad. Paul looked at her concerned and put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead "Hey I'm sorry…I know this Christmas is going to be difficult for you; your first one without your Dad but I promise I will make it special"

Gail looked at him "It's okay, it's just when you mentioned your whole family being home for Christmas it just reminded me that it's just me left really…with Dad gone now"

Paul pulled her into an embrace "Hey you, you know that's not true…you're part of my family and we are about to have our own family" he said tenderly kissing her.

Gail smiled at him "I suppose I'm just being silly but I was hoping for a quiet Christmas…I'm not sure I'm up to meeting your sister"

"Don't worry, if you don't feel like it or if things get too bad over at Dad's we can lock all the doors and it will be just you, me and the children" Paul said

"sounds strange when you put it that way . . . our children"

"Well, Darling by the looks of it there is no going back now and it won't be long until there are five of us!"

Both smiling they continued with lunch.

"I had a letter from Ian the other day" Gail said "He wanted to know how we were; when the babies are due. I think he's looking forward to seeing them"

"I feel a but coming on here?" Paul said

"I just don't know what to say" Gail said shrugging her shoulders "I mean things have changed, if I let him see the children I feel I'm betraying Dad but then if I don't let him see them, then I'm doing to him what my real Mum did to him. Is that really fair?" she replied

"Gail you don't have to do anything you don't want to, nor do you have to feel guilty if you let him see them. Give yourself some time, if you want I'll phone him and explain, I'm sure he'll understand and when you're ready for him to see you then he'll be welcome" Paul said placing his hand on Gail's back "Just remember one thing; whatever you want, whatever you do I'm here".

"mmm" Gail smiled and handed Paul the plate of sandwiches for the table.

Half an hour later, Rosemary and Helen arrived and they sat down to lunch all together avidly talking about the preparations for the babies. Jim commented that Beverley was yet again on call so wouldn't be joining them and Lucy was still at Emma's.

As Paul poured further coffee for everybody Jim asked "So how long do you think you can stand being back in Erinsborough Rosemary?"

Rosemary laughed "It's not that bad here; in fact it's nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of New York…I guess I'll be here for as long as I'm needed. It's nice to catch up with the family as well."

"How about the next ten years" Paul mumbled cheekily with a sideways look from Gail.

"When are the babies due?" Rosemary asked

Paul looked at Gail hesitantly; she could see his mind ticking over. Smiling reassuringly at him she replied on his behalf "In about eight day's time"

Surprised Jim replied "That soon…I thought you had at least another three weeks"

"Hang on that makes the date …"

"November 24th" Paul answered "Yes we have worked that one out"

"Your Mother's birthday" Helen said thoughtfully "She would have liked that"

"We couldn't think of a better day" as she moved to stretch her back "only trouble is I think these three may have other ideas. They're getting more and more restless by the day" Gail said "We'll just have to see what happens after I've had my scan on Tuesday"

"Rosemary…do you think we can get everything done tomorrow in the office?" Paul said

Rosemary looked at him, remembering what Helen had told her about Gail almost walking out on him due to his obsession with work "I can't see that would be a problem…what time do you want to start?"

"How about 8am or earlier if you want" Paul said

"No time for jet lag then" Rosemary laughed "Make it 8 o'clock…just make sure you've got the coffee on when I arrive"

"no problem, we've got a good PA at the moment, she knows the routine, coffee first!" Paul replied laughing

"Oh Helen, in that case are you up for some window shopping tomorrow…I just want to make sure I have everything I need for these three" Gail asked

"that would be good. I've seen some lovely baby clothes and I'd prefer to buy what you like. Are you sure you are not supposed to be resting though" Helen replied

"Yep she is and she knows it" Paul replied chastising Gail "Gran just don't let her do too much"

"Okay, worrywart the only thing I'll do is cause serious damage to your credit card" Gail replied looking at Paul and raising her eyebrows.

"I don't doubt that" Paul said

"Honestly all I want to do tomorrow is have a look at the shops and get Helen's advice, then we can go shopping after my scan on Tuesday" Gail said looking at Paul

"Sounds like a plan to me" Paul laughed

"Rosemary are you going to be okay in the Managers Suite at the hotel?" Gail asked changing the subject

"Oh yes, besides I'm only going to use it as my base, I want to spend some time with the family whilst here…and Mum's cooking is always a good reason to come home" Rosemary replied

"We appreciate you coming over here Rosemary" Paul said "Lately things have been a little crazy"

"I told you that when you needed me to call me; I've got my business affairs in New York in order so that I don't need to be there, I only have one meeting in January I have to return for but I'll come straight back afterwards. For the next six months I'm prepared to stay here and look after the Robinson Corporation while you two look after your family" Rosemary replied "Besides by doing that I miss winter in New York"

They continued chatting about plans for the next day; Paul was still worried about leaving Gail for too long whilst he went to the office; he couldn't even think about a repeat of what happened on Friday. After lunch Rosemary said she wanted to have a rest after her flight so Helen offered to take her to Lassiters. As Paul showed them out he glanced back to ensure Gail was not in earshot.

"Gran promise me you'll look after Gail tomorrow; I just don't want her getting low or too tired" Paul said

"Don't worry; I'll take her shopping and then she can come home and spend some time with Lucy and me. She'll be fine" Helen replied linking arms with him in an effort to reassure him.

Gail walked over to Paul and Helen "Hey what are you too whispering about behind my back?" she asked placing her arm around Paul's waist.

"Nothing" Paul said innocently

Gail looked at Paul, smiled and nudged him "You still worried about the amount of damage I can do to your credit card tomorrow?"

"No, not really" Paul smirked and winked at Helen "I'm hiding it tonight"

Gail laughed "We'll just have to see about that won't we"

Jim came up behind them "I'm going to make a move too; I have to go and pick Lucy up soon. The cots are all up, just let me know if you need anything else"

"Thanks Dad, we'll let you know if we need anything" Paul said

"Thanks Jim, I don't think Paul would have managed without you" Gail teased

After saying goodbye the couple closed the door, Paul turned to Gail and smiled "Alone at last" he said

"I enjoyed lunch; I'm just glad Rosemary is here; it will take some pressure of you darling" Gail replied

They headed upstairs to have a look at the nursery.

"You two did do a good job today" Gail exclaimed as she saw the three cots set up with the nursery bedding in place.

"It's a bit of a tight squeeze really but I'm sure we'll cope" Paul said standing there rubbing the back of his head with one hand "If not we could always move"

Gail raised her eyebrows "I don't think so; I love Ramsay Street, besides I've got this thought that it would be good for the children to have their grandparents close by. Your parents managed bringing four of you up in their house so there's no reason why we can't do the same" she said

"Yeah, and I remember what it was like sharing a room with Scottie at times!"

Paul pulled her closer to him "You're going sentimental on me Mrs Robbo, whatever happened to the tough business woman" he laughed

Gail laughed "that's on the exterior but on the inside . . . . . . Anyhow, I was never that bad and besides someone has to keep you in line" she said

"Yeah right" Paul replied sarcastically

The following morning Paul woke early; glancing across at the alarm clock he saw it was 6.30am. He saw that Gail was still in a deep sleep after a restless night; slipping out of bed quietly in an effort not to disturb her he headed for the shower shutting the bedroom door behind him. A little while later as he walked downstairs for breakfast the house seemed so quiet that a chill went through him; his mind still consciously thinking about Friday afternoon and Gail leaving. Over his cereal and toast he thought of the past two days; he had enjoyed spending time with Gail at home relaxing, something he now realises he hadn't done for a long time. He knew she had always been there for him previously through their ups and downs and he wanted to be there for her now when she needed him the most; trust was key. Suddenly looking at his watch he saw that time was against him and he needed to make his way into the office. The sooner he got there the sooner he could get back. Going back upstairs he quickly wrote a note to Gail and placed it on the pillow next to her. She stirred slightly but remained in a deep sleep; he kissed her head before going back downstairs.

As he walked through the hotel complex Paul looked across at the coffee shop which would soon be opening up for the breakfast rush and looked up at the Robinson Corporation sign, with a sigh and still the feeling of pride he unlocked the office door whilst holding the post in his mouth and his briefcase in his other hand. Stepping inside he flicked the coffee machine on as he past it on his way in to the main office. Paul looked around as he stopped in front of his desk partly in shock; the office was immaculate – no post on his desk or messages as he had expected. The new PA was certainly more efficient than he had originally thought, remembering to make a mental note of this when discussing the office cover with Rosemary later that day. Ten minutes later as Paul was sitting at his desk with a cup of coffee, opening the post he heard the outer door.

Looking up Rosemary was standing in the doorway "Hi" she said "How long have you been here?"

"Oh only about ten minutes…it's funny but I didn't seem to have the enthusiasm today for work" he said

"How's Gail?" Rosemary asked as she put her briefcase down on the spare desk, understanding why Paul was slightly worried

"She's fine, still asleep when I left" Paul replied putting the post aside and going to get a coffee for Rosemary.

"That's good…what about you?"

"I'm not the one carrying three babies" Paul laughed

"Tell me to mind my own business but Mum told me what happened on Friday" Rosemary said discretely

Paul looked down partly ashamed "I nearly lost it all" he said quietly

"But you didn't, and I doubt you ever will. Paul, Gail's almost left you before; the first time she turned down an executive position in New York; the second you talked her into returning from New York to Ramsay Street and then Friday afternoon…" Rosemary smiled "Well she's still here…what does that tell you?"

Paul looked at her confused.

Rosemary looked at him and rolled her eyes "Men, Paul she loves you!, I think more than you realise, but what she doesn't want is a distant husband, one that she hardly ever sees and from what I understand that is what has been happening. Now what ideas do you have for the office?"

"Okay" Paul said jumping up with a file in his hand and going over to where Rosemary was sitting behind the desk "I was thinking that maybe I need to hire a PA or perhaps an Assistant Manager, Jane has submitted her resignation as she wants to remain in England with Mrs Worthington. I've also been considering a way of consolidating some of our debt"

"Well I've still got my contacts out there, I'll get on to them straight away and see what Executives there are who might be swayed in to working for the corporation, after all the company has good prospects at the end of the day. I'll need to look at the books as well; I take it they are up to date"

"Sure, I'll get the books, mind you don't expect too much"

Gail woke to the feel of the babies kicking against her ribs; gently she placed her hand on her stomach trying to calm them. She turned to look at Paul's side of the bed and saw the envelope and picked it up, reading it she smiled. She had sensed Paul was anxious last night about going into the office but he hadn't mentioned anything, no matter how much she told him she loved him he still feared her leaving him. She shook her head because the truth was she wasn't going anywhere. Gently she eased herself into a sitting position and got out of bed; heading towards the shower, having given up on her baths due to the difficulty getting in and out now. Gail frowned and half smiled as she came down to breakfast to find a tray set up by Paul all ready for her breakfast with the newspaper beside it. Helen arrived shortly after she had finished washing the dishes and they discussed their plans for the day.

The Mall was quiet at that time of the morning and Helen and Gail wandered through the shops looking at the baby wear. Helen picked out some baby clothes that she wanted to buy after getting Gail's opinion, both commenting on how small the clothes were and how difficult it was to even contemplate how much laundry there would be ahead. By mid morning both agreed it was time for a coffee break and chose a quiet street brasserie.

"Wonder how Paul is doing?" Gail said and she sipped her cappuccino

"I had a quick chat with Rosemary before I came out; apparently Paul had gone to supervise the setting up of the conference room for a meeting, she said he's not really concentrating; his mind is on you and the children" Helen said

"I know…he left me a note this morning, promising me that he wouldn't be long even though I told him it was fine; I understand he has to go into the office today and I'm fine with it" Gail said "Besides I haven't spent any time with Lucy in ages, perhaps I'll get to hear how she's doing with her flute"

Helen laughed "Please not the flute" she joked

"She can't be any worse than I was. Mind you I only kept it up for a couple of lessons then lost interest" Gail said

"Jim keeps threatening to hide it…I swear sometimes she plays it wrong just to wind him up" Helen said

Gail laughed "I used to play it wrong just so that I didn't have to take anymore lessons; I wasn't really musical"

"Lucy was sorry that she missed lunch yesterday" Helen commented "Her and Emma had a falling out before she left"

"What happened?"

Helen rolled her eyes "Teenage girls…probably about a boy"

"Yes I remember being that age" Gail said "Life feels like one big drama"

Helen laughed "And if there ever was a major drama queen…it's Lucy"

Gail laughed "Wonder what these three will turn out like…" looking down.

"I'm sure they'll be perfect" Helen smiled "Are you getting tired yet?"

"No…why"

"Well I was thinking why don't we go and do some more window shopping then surprise Rosemary and Paul and see if we can tear those two workaholics away from the office to have some lunch" Helen replied

As they walked towards the shops again Gail commented

"I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised at Paul this weekend; he didn't look to go into the office once and I saw no signs of cabin fever" Gail said "We made a deal that after Rosemary leaves then maybe we'll job share or he could find a way of only working at the office in the morning and bring work home for later, that way he can spend time with the children; but we made a pact that weekends are for the family" Gail said

"You two have done a lot of talking by the sounds of it. I'm hoping Rosemary will stay for a while if that's helpful; I hate her being so far away" Helen said

"Jim told us that Julie is also coming back to stay for Christmas" Gail said

"Don't remind me…our house will be cramped, luckily Todd is going to stay with his Annette and Katie so that will be one less mouth to feed"

Gail thought for a moment and stopped Helen in her path by holding her arm "You and Lucy could always move in with us, there's the spare room, that's if you don't mind three screaming babies"

"Thanks but I don't want to burden you two with house guests when you've got the children to look after" Helen said

"We don't mind…and if it helps makes Christmas a little easier….at least think about it" Gail replied

"We'll see…but I wouldn't shout that too loud because you might find the whole family around at your house trying to escape Julie" Helen laughed

"She's not that bad surely" Gail said alarmed, perhaps a little too quickly as Helen looked at her.

"No…she just gets . . . .a bit overpowering at times; in fact she's a lot like Hilary" Helen said "Still I'm sure it will be okay"

"Do you mean, she's bossy?"

Helen smiled knowingly and Gail said "ah, message received!"

An hour later Helen and Gail walked in to the office to find Rosemary sitting at the receptionist's desk. Looking up she smiled

"Hi you two…looks like you've been busy" eyeing Helen's shopping bags

"Yes, we've had fun this morning. We just wondered if you wanted to join us for lunch in the coffee shop" Helen asked

"Sure…give me a few minutes and I'll be with you" Rosemary said closing the file on the desk.

"How's it going?" Gail asked inquisitively

Rosemary laughed "Well your husband's mind is definitely elsewhere today; he's been looking at his watch every ten minutes; but having said that we've got quite a bit covered and a few things sorted. We've started looking for another Assistant Manager and a secretary. We've just got to organise interviews and see whether Paul wants to be involved or if he trusts me enough to go ahead and appoint. Whatever way, it's something that can be organised around anything else"

"Rosemary I'm not asking him to give up work, I just want him to spend a little more time with me and the children when they arrive. I guess the real problem is that we've always been together whether it's at work or at home but these past few months…things have changed" Gail said

"Hey why don't Mum and I meet you in the Coffee Shop and you surprise Paul" Rosemary said

Gail's eyes brightened with a smile "Okay"

Rosemary picked up her handbag and left with Helen while Gail pushed the office door open quietly. Paul was standing this side of the desk with his back to her so didn't hear her come in. He was on the phone and was just ending the conversation. Gail put her hands on his hips and called out sprung. Turning to see her Paul smiled and kissed her hello.

"Hey you, I didn't expect to see you until later, everything okay?" He asked

"Fine but these three have been active, it'll be interesting to see what the Consultant says after my scan…I have a feeling that they're going to appear before 24th November" she replied

"Is that a warning Mrs Robinson, I'll make sure I know the quickest route to the hospital! You're not overdoing it are you?" Paul said concerned as he caught sight of Gail's swollen ankles.

"Of course not...We've just come to invite you to lunch then I'm planning on spending the rest of the day relaxing with my feet up" Gail said

"But you're staying at Dad's aren't you, I don't want you alone" Paul said

Gently she stroked his face "Yes I am, hopefully when Lucy comes home I can spend some time with her, if you're not finished work beforehand" she said

"I'm sorry, I'm doing it again aren't I; it's just after what happened on Friday . . . . ." Paul said

"Darling don't worry…I am not going anywhere. That is all behind us now, I love you too much to even think about leaving you; at the end of the day I couldn't do it…you're stuck with me Robbo whether you like it or not" she laughed

"Hmm I like the sound of that" he said

Gail moved closer and Paul took her hands in his "Do me a favour?" she said

Half expecting a request for a back or foot rub later Paul was pleasantly surprised when Gail asked for a hug and kiss.

"Well I think I can just about manage that" as Paul pulled Gail closer for a hug and kiss.

She giggled when she felt at least one of the babies give a sharp kick; Paul pulled slightly back and laughed shaking his head.

"I'm going to be having words with those three soon" he said

"How about we go and get lunch, I'm suddenly starving and I'm sure Helen and Rosemary will be wondering where we are" Gail said

Paul let the PA know where he would be if needed and opened the door for Gail.

"Hey I'll try and not be too long this afternoon" Paul said "How about I phone you before I leave and then go to the supermarket, we need to stock up"

"Fine…I'll probably be with Helen so try there first…if you're going shopping can you get some popcorn" Gail replied

"Popcorn…what do you want popcorn for?" Paul questioned as they walked across to the Coffee Shop

"I thought we were going to watch a movie…well we need popcorn" Gail laughed

Paul rolled his eyes "Okay…anything to keep you happy…anything else you need?"

"Thinking about it are you sure you don't need a shopping list, I know how much you enjoy shopping!" she looked at him raising her eyebrows smiling.

Paul laughed "don't push it" kissing her cheek "Come on let's go and get some lunch"

After lunch Paul and Rosemary returned to the office while Helen and Gail headed back to Ramsay Street. They spent the afternoon relaxing; Helen decided to do some painting while Gail read a little and slept for a while on the couch. When Lucy came home, Gail chatted to her for a while about her day and then listened to her playing her flute; glancing at her watch she saw that it was four o'clock and wondered how Paul was doing. At the same time the phone rang, Helen answered it in the kitchen where she was painting and Gail could hear it was Paul from their conversation; he was just leaving for the supermarket.

Later that evening after returning home Paul and Gail sat together on the sofa eating dinner. Both had had long days and just wanted to kick back and relax.

"So how was your day?" Gail asked with a tinge of inward jealousy as she still felt left out of the business.

"Not too bad" Paul paused and continued "….I missed you around the office though; all I could think about was getting everything done that needed to be done and coming home"

"Ah, darling I'm flattered. I missed you too but it was nice having Helen to keep me company"

"I got so annoyed…especially this afternoon, the phone didn't stop ringing and I was just wanted to get away"

Gail laughed "Well, I can't help it if my husband is popular can I! Anyhow, Rosemary said your mind was on other things today"

"It's just that these are our final days as a couple, soon we'll have our own family" Paul said

"Mmm, it seems amazing just thinking about it, having a family of my own was not something I ever saw happening" Gail said smiling and resting her hand on the babies "Ah, that reminds me I saw some prams this morning that we can have a look at tomorrow, and there's a good discount shop in town with really good baby clothes"

Paul laughed "You've been busy I see…hope you haven't overdone it"

Gail shook her head "No…besides I think I slept a lot of it off this afternoon, until Lucy came home at least"

"And how is my sister's flute playing these days?"

"A bit rough still but better than mine ever was" Gail replied

Finishing his dinner and putting their plates on the coffee table Paul stretched his arms up and relaxed back on the sofa as Gail put her feet on his lap for a foot rub "at least as far as the office goes, that's me finished for a while, oh I might have to go in and do some interviews; I've left it to Rosemary to contact me if she wants me for the interviews, I trust her business judgements, well apart from Morris but that's in the past. I'm still hoping that you will come back to work with me at some point" Paul said

Gail smiled "We'll see"

"Rosemary agrees that it should be possible for me to work from home, which will help you…..she also gave me a lecture about keeping my weekends work free. Gran told her what happened on Friday apparently" Paul said

"Yeah, I had a feeling she might have; sorry I couldn't warn you in time"

Sitting up a little and looking down Gail continued "Paul I wasn't thinking straight, I was depressed about Dad, annoyed at you and everything finally caught up with me."

Reaching across to cup Gail's cheek in his palm Paul replied "I know…communication was never our strong point but hey look at us now. This weekend we've come out stronger than ever, from now on I'm going to make sure that you never feel the way you did on Friday but in exchange you've got to promise me that you don't shut me out"

"mmm" Gail replied taking Paul's hand in hers.

"Hey come on, I thought you wanted to watch this movie and the popcorn" Paul said "I'll go and start the popcorn"

"If you don't fancy the movie I got we could see what's on t.v. we could just snuggle up and eat popcorn" Paul laughed.

"That sounds like a good idea…not sure I could keep awake to watch the movie now" Gail said

Gail watched Paul in the kitchen as he attempted to make the popcorn. For both their sakes she decided to rescue him just before the popcorn started to pop in the pan without a lid. They both looked at each other and burst out laughing "and you're going to trust me with baby bottles and sterilizers?" exclaimed Paul.

"Mum always used to make popcorn with us" Paul said "Gran used to do it with Lucy, mind you it never lasted very long with her"

Gail laughed "Dad and I always use to make it, Mum hated the stuff. I remember whenever we watched a movie; he used to push it under her nose trying to tempt her."

"You're Dad was definitely a character" Paul said

Gail smiled as she placed the popcorn into a bowl "Come on popcorn's up"

Before she could stop him Paul grabbed the bowl from her "Hey that's mine!" Gail declared

"You'll going to have to come and get it" Paul laughed as he went to sit down, holding the bowl above his head.

"Paul give me that bowl!!" Gail laughed "You wouldn't deprive a hormonal pregnant woman would you"

Paul looked at her, smiling cheekily he replied "Could do…I love it when you're angry"

"You also want to sleep in the spare room tonight do you then?" Gail asked, knowing that if she made him sleep in the spare room she'd probably end up in there with him.

Paul looked at her and smiled "Okay, okay come and sit down"

"Not until you give me that bowl"

Paul reached for her hand and gently pulled her towards him, carefully making sure she didn't hurt herself, Gail gently fell onto the sofa laughing; Paul put the bowl on the floor and put his arm around her and went to kiss her but Gail pulled away slightly, shaking her head she said

"Robbo…I want that popcorn now!!"

Paul pouted and handed her the bowl "So you love popcorn more than me then"

Gail reached into the bowl to grab a handful and smiled "hmm just at the moment you might have to come second"

Paul watched her, she looked so happy and contented, glancing down he noticed her swollen ankles and sighed, he was glad he didn't have to go into the office; he needed to look after his wife and make sure she didn't overdo it. Gail saw him staring into space and offered him the bowl.

"Hey, you're miles away what are you thinking about?" she asked

He smiled turning to face her "Nothing, just how relaxed and happy you look"

"And why shouldn't I be, I have the man I love and in a weeks time we'll have our own family, now there's that detective programme about to start that you like"

"yeah, sure"

Paul stretched back putting his feet up as he did so on the coffee table. Gail snuggled closer to him, laying her head on his lap while she stretched out on the sofa. Paul made Gail more comfortable with a cushion and looked down at her.

"You sure you're comfy" he said

Gail nodded "Mmm, I'm fine…"

A comfortable silence settled as Paul watched the T.V. Half an hour later Paul realised Gail was sleeping so gently he reached for the blanket on the back of the sofa and placed it over her, making sure he didn't wake her; he returned to watch the TV, glancing at Gail every now and then. She looked peaceful; he knew she wasn't sleeping very well at night as she was uncomfortable. Without thinking Paul gently stroked her back, listening to her breathing as he waited for the news to start. He checked his watch, it was only 9.30pm but it felt later. Today had been tiring for both of them for different reasons; he trying to get everything sorted that Rosemary wanted him to do before he left and Gail the shopping. He was so relieved to finally be able to relax. Half an hour later he gently kissed Gail's cheek, trying to gently wake her, knowing that she couldn't really be very comfy.

"Hey" he whispered.

Gail opened her eyes and hazily smiled "Ahh, what time is it?"

"10pm..you fell asleep, my company must have bored you, either that or the TV programme"

"Why didn't you wake me?" Gail asked

"I was enjoying the peace and quiet" Paul smirked innocently

Gail awkwardly sat up with help from Paul and looked at him "Well matey anytime you want to we can easily ensure that you have all the peace in the world" she said raising her eyebrows in his direction.

Paul laughed "Is that a threat or a promise?"

"Robbo you should know me by now, I don't do threats" she smiled

Paul looked at her and gently stroked her face "I didn't want to disturb you, you're not exactly getting much rest at night right now"

"Is there any popcorn left?" Gail asked looking in the direction of the bowl on the coffee table

Paul laughed "Nope you ate the lot…how about I make us a hot drink before bed"

"That would be good"

After making the drinks Paul went to sit back down, placing the mugs on the table he sat back down and placed his arm around Gail.

"So did you have a nice sleep?"

"I did actually, better than if I'd gone to bed" Gail replied, picking up her drink.

"I think this is what I'm looking forward to, our children safely tucked up in bed while we snuggle up down here on the sofa" Paul said

"if that's how you think it will be I think you might be in for a shock, do you remember how Des was when Jamie was weeks old?"

"I still can't actually believe that I'm going to have these children." Gail said "Five years ago I didn't even believe I could ever have a baby…something I just put out of my mind"

Paul looked at her and paused "Do you ever wonder what would have happened if you and Jeremy had stayed together, if he was still alive I mean."

"What whether we'd have tried the IVF?"

"Mmm, yeah or maybe adoption"

"….I doubt it, Jeremy was more interested in cars, than anything else. The IVF costs money which he wouldn't have wanted to spend and you also need patience which he didn't have very much of" Gail replied "He would have stopped at the first hurdle, besides I don't think our relationship was secure enough to consider bringing a child into the equation, anyhow you forget one important aspect!" Gail said taking Paul's hand "Jeremy was remarried so we didn't really have a future together"

"Funny how things turn out isn't it" Paul said smiling to himself "I mean, I would never have guessed that we'd end up together, not after how things were when we were worked on the Airline"

"Hey, I wasn't that a bad boss! It was just you didn't like having a woman as a boss, you definitely didn't like taking orders from a woman, you made that perfectly clear" Gail said teasing

Paul laughed "And now you take the orders from me darling"

Gail shook her head "Yeah right. ...don't be fooled darling; I just let you think you get your own way"

"I'm glad things turned out the way they did, I wouldn't want it any other way" Paul said

"Careful" Gail laughed "You're going soft on me"

Paul pulled her closer and kissed her "Maybe you bring out the best in me; you give good advice, every now and then!"

Gail smiled "What are friends for?"

Gail looked at him thoughtfully, thinking about what she almost did on Friday sent a chill through her; "You drive me crazy at times" she said pinching his chin gently "But we're a good team, we've got this far together. I know if it had been anybody else I left last week I would have kept on walking"

"Mmm that's good to hear – does my ego good to hear that" Paul replied whilst winking at Gail "The future looks fine; all we need is to get the Robinson Corporation sorted so that I have more free time; Rosemary's on the case"

"I was thinking if I work from home, you can still be involved in decision making and contribute ideas that way we can still work as a team, but right now these children and you are my priority and making sure all four of you are happy is priority" Paul said looking at his watch "Come on it's getting late I think it's time we call it a night"

The following morning as Paul and Gail left the house ready for the hospital appointment they chatted about the shopping they needed to do, Gail reminding Paul that she knew of a great discount store that she wanted to visit. Paul tried to stifle a smile as Gail awkwardly lowered herself in to the car but failed to hide his amusement although Gail flashed him a warning look. For the first time the journey to the hospital seemed to take longer although the traffic was light. As Paul pulled the car into a parking space and turned off the engine he glanced at his watch and commented they were early, looking at Gail he smiled and said

"Are you okay…you've been quiet all the way here…it's not like you"

"You're a fine one to talk" Gail laughed

"What is it? Are you nervous, about this scan I mean?" Paul asked

Gail sighed and looked at Paul, "Mm slightly…I guess each day that goes by makes me more and more nervous"

"Yeah, I know how you feel?" Paul said

"Paul, this is a huge responsibility, and I guess I'm scared that I'm not up to it; to have someone completely dependant on you for everything, and not just one baby but three who will need all the love and attention we can give them. Then I've been thinking . . . . . . what if they need medical help, there's always a risk with multiple births" Gail replied

Paul took both of Gail's hands in his "Of course we're up to this; we're in this together and whatever happens we will face it together. You've been so strong throughout the IVF, you always look on the bright side" he said

Gail smiled "There's something else too" she said thoughtfully

Paul looked at her curiously

Gail bit her lip thinking "These babies are as a result of our love, and when they're born we'll be a real family; the past has gone, what we have now is so much better…part of me is so scared, I want to get this parenthood thing right but another part of me is excited…we'll finally have what we both want"

"And there is only one person I want to share it all with" Paul said as he made a move to get out of the car. "Hey come on…let's go inside" Paul said "Whatever life throws at us we'll face it together"

Hand in hand they walked into the hospital. Once inside the consulting room, Paul held Gail's hand reassuringly as they watched in amazement as the Consultant showed them the movements of the babies on the screen and reassured them that everything was fine; there were three healthy heartbeats although it was possible that their birth was imminent as Gail's blood pressure was slightly raised and the babies were in a good position. Finally they were given the choice of knowing the sex of each baby but once again Gail said that she didn't want to know although Paul frowned, and explained that it might be beneficial to know whether they were having girls or boys. The Consultant gave Gail the envelope containing the information, which if she changed her mind could be opened.

"Come on Gail…aren't you the least bit curious?" Paul asked as they walked back to the car with the relief of knowing all was well with the babies clear on their faces.

Gail shook her head and laughed, turning to Paul she replied "You're so impatient…does it really matter what these children are…will you love them any less if they're all girls instead of boys?"

"No of course not…it's just…"

Gail rolled her eyes "Paul you're being like a two year old who can't wait until Christmas to open his presents…you'll just have to wait a little longer"

Paul pouted knowing he wasn't going to win this argument.

As they browsed in the discount shop at the car seats and prams Gail commented "Come on we need to look at baby bottles and sterilising equipment, I think Jim is right . . . . . . . . .you know with making the feeds up darling"

"We're going to need a hell of a lot of bottles" Paul said

Gail sighed "You bet ya…we also will probably need a bigger fridge"

"A bigger fridge…how about a bigger house…these babies are going to takeover" Paul said

Gail laughed and realising Paul wasn't joking looked at him seriously "You don't regret this though do you? I mean the babies"

Paul pulled her into an embrace "Of course not…I think I've just realised the enormity of what is about to happen to us" he said

Gail kissed him then pulled away "Come on…I want to go and look at some more baby clothes" she said

Paul laughed and gently grabbed her arm "Hey you're supposed to be taking it easy…not running about the store like a headless chuck" he said, then lowering his voice he said "Or like a waddling duck at that"

Gail looked at him in disbelief "What did you just say, Robinson?"

"Nothing" Paul replied innocently shrugging his shoulders

Gail glared at him "Go on say it again"

Paul laughed "You heard what I said and you have to admit just at the moment you do a pretty good interpretation of a waddling duck"

"I do not" Gail rebuked looking at Paul in disbelief "Paul…just at this precise moment you're in danger of sleeping in the garage due to your pig ignorant attitude"

Paul moved closer to her, aware of other people in the store and Gail's raised voice "Hey I'm only joking…I quite like the way you're walking at the moment if you really want to know"

Gail shook her head and slapped his arm away "I'm going to look at some more clothes, I suggest you find someone who appreciates your warped sense of humour and throw abuse at them instead, I have no wish to even be within 10 feet of you right now"

Paul called out after Gail but she didn't stop. He watched her walk away knowing that he hadn't helped the situation, deciding to let her cool down he went back to choosing the car seats, after a little while with his mind on Gail's outburst and not wanting to leave Gail any longer he went in search of her. Finding her amongst the baby clothes he picked up a pair of sleep suits. "There you are, I can't believe these things are so small" he said in an attempt to break the ice.

Gail looked briefly at him holding the clothes up but continued to add items to her basket and ignored him

"Hmm it would make more sense to know what sex these babies are especially when buying baby clothes"

"Oh for goodness sake!" Gail exclaimed, taking the envelope out of her handbag and thrusting it at Paul "If you really want to know…here…open it but I don't want to know. I'm going back to the car, you can finish the shopping as you're so confident you can do it all!" dropping the basket on the floor and heading for the exit.

Paul saw the tears in her eyes as Gail had spoken the words "Gail . . .wait…I'm sorry" but she had disappeared out of the door before he could reach her. He left the shopping in the aisle and followed her outside, slipping the envelope into his back pocket. He found her leaning against the car, walking up behind her he gently said her name; when she didn't respond he attempted to gain her attention by placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Hey…come on I didn't mean to upset you. I was just joking I thought you knew that, I know how you are feeling right now" Paul said quietly

Gail stayed where she was with her back to him, tears rolling down her face.

"Darling look at me" Paul said, as he gently turned her around to face him. Gail continued looking at the ground; Paul placed his finger under her chin and gently lifted it. "Hey, come on, what's wrong?"

"Paul, how can you honestly know how I feel? I don't need you telling me I look like a waddling duck, I feel fat and I don't know . . . . .frumpy" she replied through tears. Paul wiped the tears from her cheeks and pulled her closer to him for a hug. She paused and whilst in his embrace continued "I don't know I guess I'm just feeling tired and over sensitive. I don't need you telling me how I look I'm reminded every morning when I look in the mirror".

"Ssssh, hey you couldn't look fat and horrible if you tried. You are gorgeous, I'm sorry I shouldn't have said anything but I thought you knew I was pulling your leg"

"Mmm, funny way of showing it!" Gail said unconvinced

Paul laughed "Yeah well, bad call by me I admit…how about we go get a bite to eat and then finish up the shopping?"

Gail brightened "Are you paying for lunch?"

"I guess so" Paul laughed rolling his eyes and smiling

They headed off towards the nearest coffee shop, Gail suddenly feeling hungry. After they had ordered, Paul put his hand in his back pocket and pulled out the envelope containing the babies' gender.

"Did you open it?" Gail asked dubiously across the table

"No" he replied

"Why not…you seemed so desperate to know earlier" Gail said waiving her fork in Paul's direction casually "I thought about what you said earlier, in a way you're right it would make more sense to know what we were buying for"

Paul smiled "Ah, that's before I thought about it more as well we've already said we wanted it to be a surprise so why change now"

"You can look if you want to" Gail said, placing her hand over his.

Paul picked up the envelope and looked at it, Gail watched thinking that he was going to open it, he looked up and smiled at her as he tore the envelope in half, and then half again until there was nothing left except small pieces of paper.

"Now we'll never know" Paul said "Well not until they are born anyway"

Gail smiled "Mmm, might be sooner than we both think by the sounds of what the Consultant said this morning. Looks like these children are in a hurry to be born" Gail said "In a way I wanted them to be born on the 24th November" looking down and feeling the babies move with her hand.

"Hey, it doesn't matter" Paul said "Just as long as you're okay and they're healthy. Are you sure you're up to more shopping?"

"Of course" Gail said defensively, pulling out her shopping list and handing it to Paul, reciting everything that they needed to get.

After spending the afternoon going from shop to shop, they eventually arrived home. Gail was first through the door and sat down taking her shoes off to stretch her feet. Paul came through the door a couple of minutes later with as much as he could possibly carry whilst being able to see where he walked still. Gail took one look and started laughing "this is no laughing matter Gail!"

"I'm sorry darling, it's just the way you fell in the door, here let me help you"

"no you just sit there and rest, I'm fine"

"Okay if you insist" Gail replied coyly smiling at Paul struggling with all the bags

Gail told Paul to take everything up to the nursery as she got up to put the kettle on. Finally Paul came downstairs after unpacking the bags and putting the items away. He slumped down on the sofa picking his coffee up.

"Well, the pram and car seats are being delivered in a few days, I've put the baby alarms out, attached the mobiles on the cots and bought the bottles and sterilisers down and put them out in the laundry for the time being. I've left the bouncing cradles upstairs for now. By the way I've left the bedding for you to make up the cots, do you think there's anything else we need?" Paul asked

"Well we've got everything on my list, we also have plenty of clothes and I know Helen has brought some too…so I think we're almost sorted. I'll just send you out with a shopping list otherwise!" Gail said

"What about you…how are you feeling?" Paul asked moving putting his feet up on the coffee table and relaxing back

"To be honest really tired, my back is hurting and the babies are kicking" Gail replied

"I'm sorry about today" Paul said

Gail smiled "It's okay…I was just being oversensitive, today was great, we sorted out the shopping that we need and we spent time together; and you haven't thought about work all day long" poking him in the ribs teasingly

"Hey…how could I think about work when I've got my favourite girl by my side?" Paul said winking

Gail laughed "Such a charmer" she said

Later that night lying in bed Gail felt restless; the babies appeared to be constantly kicking and moving making it near impossible to get comfortable. Paul was asleep and Gail didn't want to worry him so decided to get up and have a hot drink. As she sat downstairs her discomfort intensified and her thoughts moved to the pain rather than the babies kicks. There was no doubting it now the Consultant had been right and the babies were not going to wait any longer. Gail returned upstairs and sat on the side of the bed quietly for a little longer.

Out of the darkness suddenly Gail heard Paul "hey you, what are you doing?"

"Oh I'm glad you're awake now, I was going to wake you in a minute. I've not been to sleep. I think this is it . . . ."

Paul sat up promptly and rushed around to her side of the bed "why didn't you wake me earlier!"

"I wasn't sure and just wanted to be definite" Gail replied

"Well what do you want me to do? How long?, are you in much pain?, can I do something?" Paul exclaimed in a sudden rush realising the enormity suddenly

"Hold on, one question at a time" Gail replied trying to laugh as another contraction started.

The contraction passed and Gail looked up at Paul as he held her hand and rubbed her back.

Gail was slightly shocked by the fear that she suddenly saw in Paul's eyes in the semi-darkness "Hey Darling, it's going to be okay, it should be me that is nervous, don't look so worried!"

"I'm sorry I can't help it, I hate seeing you in this much pain" Paul replied

Normally they would have telephoned Beverley to ask her to come over but she was in Adelaide at a seminar and wouldn't be back until the next day.

"I think we need to get to the hospital" Gail said "The contractions are getting stronger"

It was 3am as they left the house and Paul helped Gail in to the car. As Paul turned the ignition on she turned to him "This time tomorrow it will hopefully be over…we'll have the children we've always wanted, and as far as I'm concerned that will be worth the pain" she said

Paul kissed her hand "I'll be right beside you all the way Darling"

"I know" Gail said

The drive to the hospital was quick with hardly any traffic on the roads at that time of the morning. Paul remarked that he would phone the family in the morning, he didn't want to wake them this early, Gail lent back against the head rest and closed her eyes, trying to breathe through the pain, Paul glanced sideways nervously at her, not really knowing what to do or what to say. Silently Paul was relieved when they had reached the hospital and were settled in. When they were alone Paul broke the silence.

"What do you want me to do for you to help?" He said

Gail half laughed as another contraction started. Afterwards she continued "I think this is something only women can do Darling!"

"you know that's not what I mean Gail, now's not a time for joking"

Gail stroked his face "Darling don't worry" she said "as soon as we see the Midwife everything will be fine"

"that doesn't answer my question Gail" Paul was getting more anxious now and Gail could see it and knew why.

"Paul I just want you to stay with me and hold my hand" Gail said

As time went by Paul glanced up at the clock discretely without Gail seeing. He knew she was in pain but felt helpless, apart from holding her hand and rubbing her back there was nothing he could do, even with pain relief Gail seemed to be in such pain to Paul.

Gail glanced up at Paul and faintly smiled. She knew what his deep fear was but she couldn't reassure him anymore, by 12pm she found she had to use all her energy to concentrate on the contractions.

The Midwife had informed them both that Helen and Jim had arrived early that morning after Paul had telephoned them. Paul hadn't wanted to leave Gail since so they had not spoken yet.

Paul noticed that Gail was becoming more tired. The Consultant was contacted by the Midwife which heightened Paul's anxiety even further although he attempted to hide this from Gail to ease her concerns. She was offered a caesarean but declined, wanting to have a natural birth if possible. Paul tried to persuade her but her mind was made up and he couldn't change it.

It was four o'clock in the afternoon when finally the cry of the first baby was heard, both Paul and Gail were in tears. The midwife informed them that it was a boy and although slightly underweight he appeared to be healthy. She handed the baby to a nurse who then placed the child in an incubator, through their tears Paul commented on the powerful set of lungs the baby seemed to have and Gail laughed saying that he was just like his father then. Half an hour later another boy was born.

As Paul watched their babies he felt Gail relax back on the bed and looked around. She looked pale and started to close her eyes.

"Gail! Come on Darling just once more"

The Consultant and Midwife became concerned at this point as Gail's blood pressure increased suddenly and they were worried she wouldn't be able to deliver the final baby naturally. Paul continued talking to her, trying to keep her alert, scared of what would happen if she closed her eyes again. Suddenly Gail began to lose consciousness, she was extremely weak, Paul pleaded with her to wake up but to no avail. The Consultant looked at her blood pressure which had risen dramatically; there was no choice but to do a caesarean section. Quickly they rushed her from the delivery room into the theatre, Paul had a gown and hat passed to him in the hurry by the nurse and was running alongside Gail as she was wheeled out towards the theatre. They passed Helen and Jim sitting in the corridor but he could only make eye contact with Helen as they passed.

Jim and Helen watched speechless as Gail was wheeled into the operating theatre; neither knew what to say, both lost in their own thoughts. Helen had seen the look of fear on Paul's face as their eyes met. Jim looked back down the corridor to see Beverley running towards them. She called his name.

"I've just got back from the conference, Lucy told me what happened? Do you know anything?" she asked looking at them both

"No" Jim said "What is it about hospital, nobody tells you anything!"

"Let me go and see what I can find out" Beverly suggested

Jim and Helen watched her go, they sat down back down.

"I can't believe this is happening" Jim said in shock "These past few days they have been so happy"

"Jim…I'm sure Gail is going to be fine" Helen replied placing a hand on his arm reassuringly

Minutes later Beverly returned to them and explained that two of the babies had been born and were doing well in incubators but Gail had become distressed and lost consciousness so they were performing a Caesarean to deliver the third baby.

"How is she?" Jim asked

"She's under anaesthetic at the moment and her blood pressure is raised slightly although it has reduced considerably from what it was. It's just a case of waiting now" Beverly said

"How's Paul?" Helen asked

"Not good…he's anxious, to be honest I'd sooner he wasn't in the there with her, the Consultant needs to concentrate on Gail and not have to worry about him. I did suggest he go and see the babies or wait with you but he won't leave" Beverly said

Helen sighed and quietly stated "He must feel his nightmare is coming true"

Jim looked at her confused "What do you mean?"

"I wasn't sure to tell you or not but Gail told me that a few nights ago Paul dreamt Gail had high blood pressure and the triplets were delivered early, although they were fine . . . . . Gail wasn't…."

"don't" Jim stopped Helen mid sentence

She didn't need to go any further; Jim knew what she was going to say "It makes sense now, that's why he wanted to know what happened to Anne, why didn't I realise? Why didn't he tell me?"

"You can't go blaming yourself Jim" Helen said

Jim put his head in his hands "This cannot happen to this family again…I don't want Paul to go through what I went through; I'm not sure he'll survive without her"

"Jim will you listen to yourself" Beverley said "Don't be so pessimistic"

Silence filled the air as each reflected on the events, an hour later the Consultant appeared who explained that the last baby had been delivered safely and Gail was being taken to recovery, where her blood pressure was being monitored.

Beverley looked at Jim and Helen "Lucy told me how long you two have been here, why don't you go home? I'll stay here and let you know what happens, at the moment there's nothing you can do" she said

"I'm not leaving Paul to face this alone" Jim replied

"Someone needs to go home for the kids; look I'll go but keep me informed" Helen said

"Okay, of course I will" Beverly said

Jim thanked Helen and she reassured him further.

Jim waited in the corridor alone whilst Beverley started her shift elsewhere in the hospital. The hours went by slowly, day turned to night as Paul and Jim waited for Gail to wake; Paul remained next to her in recovery, gently holding her hand and talking to her. He couldn't bring himself to talk about the babies, as if blanking them out of his thoughts until he knew Gail would be okay. Jim watched outside through the window not wanting to interrupt the private moment. Beverly joined him but he wasn't really registering her presence.

"Jim, listen they've got her blood pressure stabilized and she has had a blood transfusion; at the moment it's a matter of the anaesthetic wearing off. In layman's terms, she's sleeping, it's her body's way of recovering, she's been through a traumatic experience but it looks positive…you have to believe that"

Meanwhile back in Ramsay Street, Helen had made dinner for Todd and Lucy; although no one was really hungry as Gail was on their minds. Helen tried to reassure them and encouraged them to do their homework and watch TV. Helen sat quietly in the living room, looking at the phone willing it to ring, she tried to remain calm and composed for the sake of Todd and Lucy.

On hearing the days news Madge and Harold had dropped in to see if there was anything they could and Des had caught her as she returned home from the hospital.

At 9.30pm there was still no news from the hospital, she sent the kids off to bed and waited alone, her thoughts turning to her daughter and hoped that the same fate wouldn't befall Gail.

Paul sat quietly by Gail's bedside now having run out of things to talk about; listening to the machine monitoring her heartbeat and blood pressure. To him it appeared steady, the Consultant had informed him that her blood pressure was almost back to normal and it was just a case of Gail's body healing, it was up to her now. Beverley and Jim had tried to persuade him to get some fresh air and take a look at the babies in the special care unit when they had been allowed in a short while ago. Paul was adamant that he wasn't leaving Gail alone; he wanted to see the babies for the first time with Gail. Holding her hand tightly he spoke to the silent room.

"Gail…you've got to wake up…we have so much to look forward to, I want to share everything with you, I love you so much. Stupid really I guess I always have even though I denied it in the early days. Come on darling; we finally have what we wanted; our children are healthy and they…we . . . need you. I don't want to be without you…please wake up…just give me a sign that you can hear me. You're my best friend…please wake up"

Paul clasped her hand in both of his, looking at the clock he saw that it was gone midnight, he had been awake for over twenty four hours and he suddenly felt his tiredness overcome him.

Helen sat alone in the living room; the door opened and she saw Lucy walk towards her.

"What are you doing up madam, you should be in bed" she said

"Gran, I can't sleep…any news from the hospital?" Lucy replied

Helen shook her head "No, darling not yet"

"Is Gail going to be alright?" Lucy asked

Helen took a deep breath "I'm sure she will, there is no need for you to worry though"

"Can I stay up with you?" Lucy said "I don't want to go to sleep"

"Okay" Helen said reluctantly as Lucy sat down and snuggled up closer to her. Helen looked at the clock on the wall, it was 12.50, and a sense of déjà vu surrounded her, as she thought of another night when she had stayed up late to hear news from Jim about Anne. That time it was Paul sitting close to her, not wanting to leave her. Helen thought about what Paul was going through now; experiencing the same emotions he had all those years ago; her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the telephone ringing.


	5. Chapter 5

**Once again thanks to Mills or should I say Casper the ghost-writer**

…Silence filled the hospital room except for the gentle beeping of the monitor; dim lighting gave the room an eerie feel to it, Paul sat with his hands wrapped around Gail's looking intently at her wedding ring, trying desperately to fight the tiredness he felt; the last thing he wanted to do was close his eyes. Beverley and Jim watched from the window outside, neither one knowing what to say; Jim looked at the clock on the wall and shook his head

"I can't stand this….it's been four hours since she came out of theatre, surely she should be awake by now!"

Beverley turned to him "Trust me…she's doing okay…in fact her vital signs are excellent; her blood pressure is stable and her heart rate is normal; there is no reason to suppose that anything is going to change…she's recovering"

Jim glanced towards Paul "He looks shattered" Jim said "He hasn't asked once about the babies..I just don't know what will happen if…."

"Don't even say it Jim…" Beverley replied "Why don't we get a coffee?"

"Okay…I'll just ask Paul if he wants to join us"

Jim walked into the room, briefly looking at Gail asleep on the bed; he looked towards Paul and said "Hey…do you want to come for a coffee"

Paul looked at him "No thanks…I want to be here when Gail wakes up" he said

"_If she wakes up" _Jim thought to himself "Listen we'll be 20 minutes that's all…give yourself a break, you haven't moved for the last four hours, we thought we might go and look in on the babies"

At the mention of the babies, Paul closed his eyes…he didn't want to think of them, couldn't think of them at this moment, all he wanted was Gail.

"Dad, I'm fine…go and get a coffee" Paul replied in a sterner but tired voice.

Jim walked out knowing that he wasn't going to convince Paul to move; he and Beverley looked at the dim lit room before turning and heading for the canteen, neither said a word, both lost in their own thoughts.

Meanwhile Paul sat back in the chair, rubbing his neck to release his tension, still trying to fight the temptation to close his eyes. The only sound was coming from the steady beat of the monitors which he found strangely comforting. He looked at his watch realising that he had been awake for almost 24 hours, he glanced at Gail who seemed to be sleeping peacefully, but wished she'd hurry up and wake. Paul was deep in thought when he felt a squeeze of his hand.

"Gail?" Paul said quietly looking at her hand and then up to her face in search of a response.

Gail groaned as she tried to force her eyes open, Paul stood immediately and moved closer to her.

"Hey sleepy head" he said gently stroking her cheek.

Gail looked at Paul hazily and smiled, trying to make sense of her surroundings at the same time, still suffering the effects of the anaesthetic.

"How long have I been asleep?" she asked

Paul laughed "Too long…believe me"

Gail tried to sit up but Paul gently put his hands on her shoulder encouraging her to lie still.

"The babies…" she asked urgently

Paul smiled and kissed her forehead "They're fine…all of them . . . they're in incubators but being well cared for in the Special Care Unit; can you believe we've got two boys and a girl? Apparently they're a good weight for premature babies"

"Have you seen them?" Gail asked excitedly

Paul looked down, paused and shook his head "No…not yet…Dad went down earlier but I haven't seen them"

Gail looked at him "Why not?"

Paul looked at her "I couldn't…Gail, I couldn't leave you here when you needed me; I want to see our children with you…. I needed to know that you were going to be okay"

Gail looked at him; she saw the same fear in his eyes that she had seen the night before; trying to lighten the atmosphere she said "Yeah…not good enough Paul…they're your children, they're all alone and you should have been there with them"

Paul turned his head away from her, the tears forming in his eyes "I'm sorry…but you were my priority. I knew they were being cared for"

Gail realised that maybe she had gone too far and reaching for his hand she said "Paul, look at me"

Paul kept his back to her, suddenly feeling ashamed that he hadn't thought of his children, he wanted so much to be a good Father but already he had neglected the babies.

"Darling…its okay I just thought you would have been keen to see them" Gail said

Paul looked at her "you're right I should have made sure they were okay but I was scared for you"

Gail stretched out her hand and took Paul's arm "Come here"

Paul leaned closer towards her and took her hand

With her usual broad reassuring smile Gail said "I love you so much…and I do know how difficult today has been for you..after what happened to your Mum."

"But I still should have gone down and seen the babies" Paul replied

Gail smiled "You did what you thought was right..I understand why you stayed with me, I'm not angry with you darling"

"When you lost consciousness in the delivery room I was petrified, all I could think of was what happened with Mum, and praying that you'd be alright…I guess I subconsciously blanked the babies from my mind, I couldn't think about them until I knew you were okay…"

Gail looked at him "Hey do me a favour"

Paul moved closer to her and gently kissed her hand breaking his trail of thought "Name it"

"Go and see our children, please" she answered smiling

"But…I want to see them with you, besides I don't want to leave you just yet" he said

Gail smiled "I know but I'll still be here when you get back; I want to know what they're like, who they look like, are they behaving!"

Paul sighed "Okay, okay Mrs Robinson…I'm going, do you need anything..are you in any pain?" he asked

"A little bit, the anaesthetic must definitely be wearing off" Gail replied attempting to get more comfortable in the hospital bed.

"I'll speak to the nurse on my way out to see if they can give you something to make you more comfortable" Paul said "You still look a little pale"

"I'm fine but I could do with something to drink too…my throat is dry" Gail said

Paul kissed her "Okay, I'll be back shortly with all the news" he said walking towards the door, as he walked out he turned and smiled "I'm really proud of you Mrs Robinson, I love you"

Gail smiled "I know…I love you too more now than ever…get moving Mr Robbo, you've some little ones to meet!" she replied

Paul walked out, stopping by the nurses' station to advise the nurses that Gail was awake, one of the nurses headed off in the direction of her room. Paul walked into the Special Care Unit and saw Jim and Beverley standing by the incubators. He walked up to them with a sudden feeling of excitement and nervousness in the pit of his stomach. He didn't quite know what to expect or how to put the feeling in to words.

"I thought you'd be here…am I missing out on much?" Paul asked smiling at both of them.

Jim alarmed turned at the sound of his son's voice "Paul…what's happened…is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine…Gail's just woken up…she ordered me to come and check on the babies" Paul replied with a hint of his sense of humour showing through after a long 24 hours.

"I'll go and check on her" Beverley said resting her hand on Paul's shoulder as she left.

Paul looked down at the three incubators, the look of amazement washed across his face as he looked from one to the other speechless. After a few minutes Jim broke the silence.

"Well, son, meet your children!"

"I can't believe they're so small" Paul exclaimed, being the first words that he could think off "all those tubes and monitors though, they look so fragile"

"Yeah they seem healthy and lively enough though…Beverley said they're all good weights, the two boys are the heaviest but even the little girl is 3lb 9oz and seems to be thriving"

Paul looked at his sons "Hey, those two look identical don't they?"

Jim laughed "That's what Beverley said, you two are going to have to dress them in different clothes to know which is which"

Paul looked at his daughter sleeping peacefully "This one is so tiny…she's beautiful"

"Yeah she is. She won't stay that small for long…remember how small Lucy was?" Jim laughed

Paul looked at Jim "Yeah…I remember…it doesn't seem that long ago"

Jim looked at the floor more out of awkwardness "Paul, Helen told me about your dream the other night…why didn't you talk to me, you know you could have?"

"Dad...what happened to Mum was something we never talk about; I hadn't even spoken to Gail about it until last weekend. I think her pregnancy brought back all the memories… I mean I still think of Mum, on her birthday and Lucy's" Paul replied casually in an attempt to play it down.

"I must admit it came flooding back to me this afternoon; when I saw Gail being taken into theatre. I just didn't want you to have the same experience as I did all those years ago." Jim said

Paul looked back at the babies "You know I never thought this would ever happen; I always wanted a family of my own but it seemed that every woman I got involved with left me. If you had told me six years ago that Gail and I would have ended up together I would have laughed."

"Why?" Jim asked "You two were made for each other…it seems the only people who couldn't see that were you two" laughed aloud.

Paul laughed "Yeah well that was a lifetime ago…although I haven't forgotten your suggestion about a blessing and a christening . . . . . .in fact I know the perfect date"

Jim looked at him "Oh yes when…"

"Well Christmas is too soon so I thought 14 February as it will be the second anniversary of us renewing our vows" Paul said

"What a great idea" Jim replied looking at his watch "It's almost one o'clock I should ring home and let Helen know that everything is okay"

Paul smiled "I think I'll go back to the ward and check on Gail" he said with a glance towards the babies. "I can't wait for Gail to see the babies"

Jim went off in the direction of the pay phone while Paul walked back towards Gail's room, finding her sitting up in bed, smiling he walked towards her and gently kissed her.

"How's my favourite girl. Where's Beverley?" he said

"She just popped out to see another patient" Gail replied "Where's Jim?"

"He's gone to phone Gran…" Paul said

"Well, what news have you got for me, spill . . . . . . . . ."

A broad smile burst across Paul's face as if he couldn't keep quiet any longer. Gail laughed at his sudden response and for the next half hour Paul described each baby to her and how they looked, what machines and equipment they had to monitor them etc.

"I can't wait for you to see them, I want to see your face the first time you see them, I was just totally speechless" Paul said

"Well, Beverley said she would check on me in the morning to see if I am well enough to get out of bed . . . ." Gail said becoming tearful because she hadn't seen the babies yet.

Paul moved closer and wiped a tear from Gail's cheek "Hey don't cry, just think though we're going to have the next 20 years with them. I'll keep you updated until you can see them and we're go together. Remember you have been through a lot as well"

Gail looked at him "Yeah, I guess you're right" looking down and wiping tears from her cheek "Look you should go home and get some rest…you look exhausted"

"I'm fine" Paul said "Besides I don't want to leave you tonight"

"Darling I'm fine…tell me more about the babies?"

Paul's eyes brightened "They're amazing; the boys are identical I think we may have problems telling them apart and our daughter is so small but perfect…I've never seen anything so precious"

"Hmm, we need another boy's name then" Gail said

"Yes but that can wait until the morning…do you still like the two names we've already chosen?" Paul asked

"Of course" Gail replied "I still can't believe we've done it, never in my wildest dreams did I ever think this would happen to me"

"What being stuck with me?" Paul laughed

Gail gently stroked his face "That I can handle" she said "No I meant having a family of my own. It just wasn't a thought for so many years after I found I couldn't have children…it just seemed unimportant at that time so I just chose to forget the idea"

"But look at us now, we have sleepless nights, dirty nappies and goodness knows what else to look forward to" Paul laughed

Paul looked at her "I'm going to make you happy; I'm going to make sure you spend the rest of your life knowing how much I love you and how important you and the children are"

Gail felt the tears form in her eyes "You do make me happy…all I want is you by my side and our children." She said

Paul tenderly kissed her, neither hearing Jim enter the room.

"You two…" Jim said teasing "This is a hospital remember"

"Dad…." Paul said protesting "How's Gran…you didn't wake her up did you?"

"No apparently she's been sitting up with Lucy waiting for news" Jim said "She sends you her love and says she'll see you and her great grandchildren tomorrow"

"That's lovely, thanks Jim" Gail smiled

"By the way have you thought of any names?" Jim asked

Paul looked at Gail and winked "Yeah sure how does Harpo, Groucho and Chico sound to you?"

Jim laughed "Yeah right…"

"Well my idea was Hesiba for a girl and Augustus for a boy…but Gail won't let me name our children either of those" Paul said

"I wonder why" Jim joked "Come on you two...give my grandchildren sensible names….none of these hippy names"

Gail laughed "Oh Paul, put Jim out of his misery! We wouldn't dare…we have got two names we just need a third" she said

"Okay tell me?" Jim said

Paul laughed "Well we thought Robert James for one of the boys and Lucinda Anne for our daughter" he replied

"I still can't get used to saying that 'our daughter'!"

"You'll soon get used to it both of you. Nice names….but why Lucinda?" Jim asked

Gail paused and looked at Paul thinking of a response "Well" she said "I like the name but also I've always got on well with Lucy and she would be my/our first choice of godparent along with Scott, but she can't because of her age, so the next best thing we can do is name our daughter after her"

"but we won't shorten it to Lucy and if there comes a time when Lucinda wants to shorten her name we'll try and come up with an alternative…I don't think this family can cope with two Lucys" Paul laughed

"And of course we wanted Anne after Mum, plus it fits nicely with Lucinda" Paul said "Robert James is of course a combination of Gail Dad's name and your name, we are still trying to agree on the third name"

"I'm sure you two will think of something…eventually" Jim smiled "Hey mate, it's getting late I think I better head for home and check that my daughter has gone to bed, Paul do you want a lift home, you look tired"

"I'm fine…I want to stay a little longer" Paul replied

"You should get some rest; it's been a long day" Jim said

"I told him that but he doesn't want to leave me!" Gail laughed

"Okay" Jim said "Maybe Beverley can persuade you to go home later…see you tomorrow"

After saying goodbye Jim walked out, looking back once to look at the couple, with Paul sitting on the bed holding Gail's hand, totally absorbed in each other. When he had gone Gail said

"Your Dad is right…you should go home and get some rest. It's been a long day for both of us"

"I know but I don't think I could sleep anyway…I can never sleep without you by my side"

Gail smiled and kissed him "You're going to have to for a little while; I might be in here for a few days. Beverley thinks they might let me out at the weekend depending on how things go"

"Hmm that soon…guess I better cancel that wild party I was going to have" Paul joked

Gail laughed "Live it up while you can Paul because once the babies come home, you won't have the energy for wild parties"

Paul rolled his eyes "You do realise what we've got ourselves in to don't you? "

Confused Gail asked "what do you mean?"

"Well, we will be knee deep in nappies, bottles and feeding rotas for the next 3 years – only seeing each other over a baby bottle at breakfast!" Paul exclaimed.

"It won't be that bad…it might be hard work and take a couple of months but I'm sure we'll manage. Besides we will be spending time together…looking after our children together!" Gail replied

"Hmm that's true…you are always right!" Paul yawned

"Boring you am I?" Gail laughed, entwining her fingers with his she said "Hey you really should go home and get some sleep it's been a long day"

"I'm okay" Paul replied sleepily, "I'm more concerned about you"

"I know" Gail smiled "But really, I'm fine..a bit sore that's all"

"Hey I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Beverley asked as she walked into the room

"Chance would be a fine thing" Paul replied "Dad's already reminded us to behave ourselves as this is a hospital"

"How are the babies doing?" Gail asked eagerly

"They're fine" Beverley replied "Slightly underweight, but that's to be expected with multiple premature births but they are doing well. They're strong; we'll monitor them in the incubators for a while. Hopefully they'll be home just before Christmas"

Paul and Gail looked at each other unable to wipe the smiles of their faces. Each of them knowing what the other was thinking but not having to say a word.

"Paul do you want a lift home?" Beverley asked "I'm about to head back to Ramsay Street"

"No thanks..." Paul replied

Gail looked at him, realising how tired he was she decided to take a sterner approach "Paul…it's time you went home; I'll be fine I promise…"

Paul looked at her "Okay…Beverley I can take my own car" he replied "That way you don't have to wait for me"

"I don't think so" Gail said "Paul…you've been awake for nearly twenty four hours…there's no way I want you driving home tonight!"

"But…" Paul said "I need my car"

"No you don't" Beverley said "I've got to be back here at 9am tomorrow, so I can give you a lift…leave your car here"

Paul rolled his eyes "I'm not going to win here am I"

Gail laughed "No…just humour me…I don't want you falling asleep at the wheel and another thing…you need a shave"

Paul laughed "I didn't have time yesterday morning…my wife got me out of bed at 3am telling me she was in labour"

"Yeah well just make sure you shave before you come back here…it's like kissing sandpaper" Gail replied

Paul laughed "Thanks…oh well I guess I better go…see you tomorrow and behave" he said as he walked towards the door, silently counting in his head. Beverley laughed at the banter between the couple. They had just got outside when Paul heard his name being called.

"Go and see what she wants, I'll wait for you at the nurses station…don't be too long" Beverley said

Paul walked back into the room and walked up to the bed "What do you want?" he said

"Haven't you forgotten something?" Gail replied

"Nope…don't think so" Paul said "Get some sleep"

Gail frowned "Where's my kiss?"

"Ah…thought you said kissing me was like kissing sandpaper so I just guessed you didn't want one until I shaved" Paul said innocently

"That's where you are wrong Mr Robinson…I was stating a fact…did you hear me actually say I didn't want a kiss?"

Paul laughed "No" he said as he gently kissed her lips "Do you need anything from home?"

"Just you. I think I've got everything I need in my overnight bag. There is the baby names book beside the bed" Gail replied

"Okay…see you tomorrow" Paul said "I love you"

Gail smiled "I love you too"

Paul kissed her again before walking out of the room. Finding Beverley by the nurse's station they walked out to the car, both remaining silent, deep in thought. Once inside the car, Beverley turned to Paul and said.

"What are you thinking?"

"I don't know…I hate leaving her here; guess I'm just a little bit anxious about her" Paul replied

"That's understandable but don't worry, she's fine; I checked her blood pressure while you were with the babies and it's back to normal; her heart rate is fine, a good nights sleep and she'll be much more comfortable" Beverley replied

"When do you think she will be well enough to see the babies?" Paul asked

"Tomorrow…although she'll be quite weak still so will probably have to go down in a wheelchair…not sure if she'll be up to walking yet" Beverley replied "Hopefully she should be able to go home by Sunday or maybe early next week…the babies we'll keep in for a while longer just until they've gained weight and it will give Gail time to settle back at home before you two have to worry about the triplets demands"

"Christmas is going to be interesting" Paul said "The babies and my sister visiting"

"Yes your Father doesn't seem to be overjoyed with the prospect of seeing his eldest daughter and family…mind you I've never met her" Beverley said "What is she like?"

"She's fine…in a lot of ways she has a heart of gold but she's bossy, nosey and can be irritating" Paul replied "I just hope she's doesn't' try to tell us how to look after the triplets."

"I'm sure everything will be fine" Beverley said

Paul laughed "Your house is going to be cramped…I still think Gran and Lucy could move in with us while Julie and the gang are here, night time feeds will be more easier"

"Paul!" Beverley laughed "You can't invite someone into your house then expect them to help with night time feeds"

"Who says" Paul winked "But seriously it might help create a better atmosphere…I can see there being friction at yours"

"Jim wants them to stay at Lassiters" Beverley laughed

"He said something to me about that but I thought he was joking"

"He mentioned it the other day" Beverley said "Or even putting them off for a year, he says he wants to have a quiet Christmas…I think he wants to make sure your family are okay without having anyone else to worry about. Scott and Charlene are also coming down but they're staying with Harold and Madge"

Paul grimaced "He can't ask them not to come….I have a feeling the whole point of this visit is because she's worried that with our three, Hannah will be forgotten"

Beverley pulled into Ramsay Street and parked the car outside Number 26 "Do you want to spend the night at ours or do you want to go home" she asked

"I think I'll go back to my place, I need to have a shower and get changed, and Gail also needs a few things" he said as he opened the car door.

"Okay, I'll pick you up at 9am tomorrow…try and get some sleep and don't worry about Gail…she'll be fine" Beverley said

The following morning Paul woke to the sun streaming in through the curtains; he yawned and stretched reaching over to hug Gail before remembering she was in the hospital. He smiled to himself at the feeling of seeing the babies for the first time just hours before. Looking at the alarm clock he saw that it was 8am, he had an hour to get ready. He quickly got up and headed for the shower before going downstairs for breakfast. He hated the fact that Gail wasn't there…the silence was almost deafening. Picking up the newspaper he flicked through it as he ate his breakfast. He telephoned the hospital and was put through to the nurse's station, enquiring how Gail and the babies were. He was relieved to hear that Gail had slept well and the babies were stable. After breakfast he headed back upstairs to collect some things for Gail before going over to meet Beverley. He walked into the kitchen of number 26 and found Jim, Beverley and Helen finishing breakfast.

Helen greeted Paul with a kiss and hug "Morning Darling, how's our new Dad?"

"still in shock I think Gran!" Paul said

"You're up early, I thought I was going to collect you" Beverley said "I expected you'd be tired after the day you had yesterday"

"Just wanted to make an early start...oh any chance of stopping at the florists on the way to the hospital . . . .I want to get some flowers for Gail" Paul said

Beverley laughed "Okay"

"I thought you had to be at the hospital by 9am" Jim said

"Yes I'm running late…thanks to your sister; we couldn't get her to budge today and she wasn't too keen on the prospect of going to school; she'd much sooner go the hospital" Beverly said

Paul laughed "Sounds about right…anything to get a day off school"

"I'm going to pick her up after school and I promised her we'd go to the hospital" Helen said "How's Gail?"

"I phoned this morning and checked on them all, she's fine and the babies are stable" Paul said "Gail's already giving me orders"

Helen laughed

"Right I'm off" Jim said "See you all later"

"Sees ya later" Paul said

"Give my love to Gail and tell her I'll see her later" Jim said

"Will do" Paul said

"Right…just let me get myself organised and I'll be with you..." Beverley said

When they were both alone, Helen looked at Paul, he still looked a little tired but she knew he was happy.

"How are you feeling?" she asked

"Fine…just relieved it's over" Paul replied

"I know…I saw your face yesterday when they were taking Gail into the operating theatre" she replied

"It felt unreal…one minute she was fine…I was talking to her then next she was unconscious…it felt as though my nightmare was coming true, I felt so helpless sitting by her bedside pleading with her to wake up" Paul said "It brought back memories of Mum and I was scared that history was about to repeat itself"

Helen was cupping her hot coffee in her hands and looking down at it "I had a strange sense of déjà vu too last night…once again I was sitting up waiting for news from the hospital but this time it was Lucy by my side and not you" she looked up at Paul and met his eyes "you know the phone call from Jim came almost at the same time that he phoned 14 years ago…it was eerie" Helen said

"You still remember that day?" Paul said surprised

"Of course…don't you?" Helen replied "Tell me to mind my own business but Gail told me about your nightmare the other night, she was only worried about you"

"I know, I don't blame her. Just seeing Gail pregnant brought back that day, I thought it wouldn't affect me…the memories of Mum came flooding back and I was scared of what could happen"

"Paul has this got anything to do with you putting all your energy into Lassiters and the Robinson Corporation?" Helen said

Paul looked down "I guess so, when I was at work, I didn't see Gail so I tried to put it out of my mind; but by doing that I neglected her, I can't believe I forgot her birthday. Thinking about it now I should have talked to her. I didn't realise how Mum's death had affected me" he said

"Paul you were so close to your Mum, what happened was bound to have a lasting effect on you, the sad thing is that the one person who could help…you shut out. Gail loves you, never forget that. There isn't anything she wouldn't do for you" Helen said

"I know…I love her so much and I love our children. I'm going to make sure she never feels neglected again" Paul said

"Good" Helen said

Beverley entered the kitchen with her medical case and after saying goodbye to Helen, she and Paul went out to the car. They took a twenty minute drive to the hospital stopping along the way to pick up some flowers. After saying goodbye to each other in the car park they headed off in opposite directions. Paul walked into Gail's room with the big bunch of flowers, her eyes lit up when she saw him.

"Hey are those for me?" she asked

"No they're for the nurse on Station 1…what do you think!" he laughed

"Hmmm . . . . I've missed you" Gail said

"How did you sleep" Paul asked as he kissed her

"Not too bad; I feel a lot better than I did last night. I've had a change and freshened up, so I'm feeling a little more human" she replied

Paul passed the baby name to Gail as requested. "Gran said she'll bring Lucy to see you this afternoon, apparently she didn't want to go to school today, could be something to do with the fact that she was up until 1am this morning"

Gail laughed "I bet they had problems getting her out of bed today"

"hey have you heard anything about going to see the babies?"

"no the nurse, has been in but she didn't know when I asked her"

"I'll go and find someone who can tell me more" Paul said

Gail's eyes lit up "Hurry up" she said

Paul kissed her "Okay, okay…I love you Mrs Robinson"

"Love you too" she replied "Now go"

Half an hour later, Paul wheeled Gail into the special care unit; they were the only ones in the unit apart from the nursing staff, who left the couple alone to get to know their children. Paul watched Gail. Like he was the night before she remained speechless and was looking intently at the incubators. The nurse came over and explained to Paul and Gail what each of the tubes and monitors were for and how they were monitoring and feeding the babies.

Paul kneeled down beside Gail in the chair "What are you thinking?"

"They're amazing…this feels so . . . . so unreal" Gail said with a smile slowly spreading across her face

Paul smiled "It doesn't get any more real darling. We've done it, we have the children we've always wanted. Everything we went through with the IVF, the endless tests, early mornings at the clinic and questions, the disappointment…well it was worth it because look at what we've created" he said

Gail looked at him "Thank you" she said, the tears slowly starting to roll down her cheeks

"What for?" Paul asked taking her hand and kissing it

"For this, for not giving up on our dream…I can't believe I'm actually a Mother, it was something that was never going to happen to me but you've made it a reality" she replied

"No, it should be me thanking you. You've given me so much" Paul said "You taught me how to trust again, to allow myself to love and accept love. You're the only person I want to be the Mother to my children. I love you so much and I love them because they're part of you"

"I love you too…more than words can express. You're the only person I want to spend the rest of my life with" she said

Paul laughed "That's good, we're both stuck with each other then I guess" as he wiped the tears away from her cheek and kissed the back of her hand.

Hand in hand they sat watching their children, silence filled the room, there was no need for words as both knew what the other was thinking.

"Have you thought of another name yet?" Gail asked

"No…what about you?"

"I have no idea; maybe we should give it a few days" Gail replied

Paul laughed "Well one is Robert James, we could always call the other James Robert"

Gail looked at him and shook her head half laughing "Mind you whatever name we pick it's going to be difficult distinguishing the two of them"

"We'll have to get clothes for them with their names printed on the back" Paul said "At least we haven't got that problem with Lucinda"

"Mmm, she's so tiny though" Gail said

"But adorable . . .she reminds me of Lucy"

"Gran said she had a touch of déjà vu last night…the phone call from Dad came at almost the same time as the one 14 years ago about Mum…only this time it was Lucy sitting next to her and not me"

Gail stroked his face "It must have been hard for her...the memory of what happened"

Paul sighed "I think it affected all of us yesterday"

"Darling it's over…I'm fine, the babies are doing well" Gail said

"I know sorry. I can't wait for you to come home, the house feels so empty without you" Paul said

"Don't worry I'll be home soon…and I'm sure peace and quiet will be shattered once we get these three home" Gail laughed looking back at the babies.

Paul gently touched the glass of the incubator holding his daughter "I wonder how long they'll be in here…how long it will be before we can hold them" he said

"Not long hopefully…I'm just terrified…I've never held a baby that small before" Gail said whilst she watched Paul, realising she was seeing a different side to him that she hadn't seen before, a sentimental side with such protectiveness.

"You'll be fine" Paul said "This is new for both of us…we'll learn together"

"Hey I thought I'd find you two in here" Beverley said as she walked into the unit

Gail smiled "I just can't believe they're mine…"

Beverley turned to the incubators

"How long will they be in here?" Paul asked

"It depends on how well they gain weight, at the moment they're being fed by nasal tube, but hopefully by next week they're be able to be fed by bottle. Once they can maintain their own body temperature then we can move them out of the incubators and into bassinets. I hope, but I can't promise that the three of them should be home just before Christmas" Beverley replied

"But that's ages away" Paul exclaimed disappointingly

"You're so impatient" Gail laughed

"It's only six weeks away...I think you'll find they'll probably go home one at a time and not all three together…it makes it easier on you" Beverley said, she looked at the little girl in the incubator and smiled "Your daughter is the smallest at 3lb 9oz, the boys are both similar weights, one is 3lb 11oz and the other one is 3lb 12oz"

Paul looked at his daughter "But she's going to be okay?" he said concerned

"Of course she is…you two are going to have to be patient though" Beverley replied, placing her hand on Gail's shoulder "Right I better get back…see you later and don't worry these three are doing fine"

They stayed with their children for another half hour before Paul wheeled Gail back to her room and helped her settle in bed.

"I can't believe they're so small" Gail said "And all those monitors and tubes"

"Darling, you heard what Beverley said, they're fine, in a couple of weeks they will be out of the incubators and in basinets…remember positive thinking!" Paul said

Gail laughed "I know, I know. So come on Mr Robinson give me another boy's name"

"I don't know…Stephen, David, Luke…Cameron" Paul said

"Cameron…where did that come from?" Gail asked surprised

"Just flicking through the book last night before I went to sleep; I haven't come across many Cameron's and it sounds different" Paul said

"Cameron Paul Robinson" Gail said

"Nah…Cameron Scott Robinson" Paul said "I told you we're not naming our son after me"

"But we're using your name as the middle name" Gail said

Paul looked at her and sighed "Okay you win…I like the name Cameron so I let you choose the middle name"

"Well that was easy" Gail laughed

The following few days were filled with visits from the family and seeing the babies in the special care unit, finally the day came for Gail to be discharged home. Up until then her main focus had been the babies and spending time with them for up to 12 hours a day with Paul. He arrived early in the knowledge that Gail was returning home; entering her room he found her packing, noticing how subdued she seemed he walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders and lent his chin on her shoulder.

"Hey, what's wrong darling, is it the babies?" he asked, noticing her tears.

"No they're fine. I don't know, I'm really happy at going home don't get me wrong, but I…I just hate leaving them here" she replied

Paul put his hands around Gail's waist reassuringly "Ah, I should have guessed. They won't be in here forever; just for another couple of weeks, besides its not like we're going home and leaving them here, we'll be back here most of the time" Paul said snuggling up to Gail more "Besides I've missed you"

Gail brightened and turned to kiss Paul "I've missed you too…let's go and see the bundles of joy before we go"

Beverley was in the Special Care Unit as they arrived. She shook her head "Anyone would think that you were never going to see them again" she laughed "Listen I've just checked on Robert and he's making excellent progress, I think later today we might try him on a bottle…why don't you come back to the hospital at about 6pm and you can feed him"

"Really…what about the other two?" Gail asked eagerly

"I think they need to be tube fed for a while longer although having said that they're getting stronger everyday" Beverley said

"So you think they'll be home in time for Christmas?" Paul asked

"Well providing nothing happens in the meantime yes, the main thing for you two at the moment is to get settled back home before these three descend on you, especially you Gail, you still need to rest" Beverley said "Just remember you can come and see them any time you want"

"Sure, I'll make sure she rests" Paul said

Gail put her hand inside the incubator of her tiny daughter and gently stroked her face, Paul walked up behind her and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Lucinda seems so tiny" Gail said

Beverley laughed "Don't let that fool you…she has a healthy pair of lungs on her, she's also gaining weight not as much as the boys at the moment but she's doing fine"

"I've got to get back to work" Beverley said, deciding to leave the couple with their children.

Paul turned as Beverley left the room, hugging Gail tightly he said "Are you ready to go home…we can come back later"

They stood staring at the incubators for a couple of minutes in silence before Gail turned around "I guess I'm ready to go…just wish we could take these three with us"

"Soon" Paul said "Just think what Christmas will be like this year"

Gail smiled "Just about perfect..if we're all together"

"Come on" Paul said, taking her hand and with one last look at their children they headed towards the door home.

Silently they drove back to Ramsay Street, both deep in thought. Gail felt a tinge of sadness at having to leave the babies behind, Paul sensing how she was feeling reached over and squeezed her knee affectionately, Gail put her head on his shoulder as they neared home and closed her eyes. On reaching Ramsay Street, Paul opened the car door for Gail, kissing her on the cheek as she got out of the car slowly.

"By the way Dad's invited us for dinner tonight" Paul said "We don't have to be there until 7.30pm so there's plenty of time, I'm sure they'll understand if we're a bit late. That's if you feel up to it?"

"That will be nice" Gail said "Can't believe we might actually get to hold one of our babies tonight"

As they walked in the house Paul put his arms around Gail's shoulders and whispered "Welcome home"

Gail laughed and held his hands as she saw the living room decorated with balloons and welcome home banners.

"I don't believe it…did you do all this?" she asked

"Well Lucy helped" Paul replied "But it was my idea…I just wanted you to know how much I missed you"

Paul walked into the kitchen, while Gail took in her surroundings and smelt the flowers on the coffee table. Looking across at Paul an overwhelming feeling of comfort and security came across Gail and she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist as he prepared lunch.

"I love you" she whispered

Paul turned and took her in his arms "hey I love you too…I have missed you so much while you've been in hospital"

Gail looked back at the living room "So I see…can't believe you went to all this trouble"

Paul gently stroked her face "I just wanted you to know how important you are to me; nothing else really matters apart from you and the children and I promise you will never doubt my love for you again"

Tears formed in Gail's eyes "You make me happy; the one thing I never thought was possible you made possible…I love you so much"


	6. Chapter 6

Later that afternoon, Paul caught up with some correspondence that Rosemary had dropped off for him while Gail rested on the sofa, Paul glanced over occasionally to make sure she was okay, he tried to concentrate but found he was failing miserably, sitting back and sighing he decided to give up for the day and walked over to the sofa and sat down on the arm, planting a kiss on Gail's forehead.

"What's wrong?" she said surprised at the interruption

"Nothing…just, Rosemary sent some papers that need my signature but I can't concentrate at the moment, maybe later" Paul replied

"Anything I can help with?" Gail asked looking over in the direction of the desk

Paul laughed "Always the career woman!" he said

"No" she said in protest "I just wondered if there was anything we could go through together"

"Hmm maybe tomorrow we can go through the papers and you can tell me what you think but right now I have more important things on my mind" Paul said

"Like what?"

Paul laughed "Like looking after you for a start. How are you feeling?" he asked

"Fine…looking forward to going back to the hospital and seeing the children" Gail said before continuing tentatively "I also know what the date is"

Paul smiled "November 24th..can't believe the triplets are a week old already" he said

"How are you doing?" she asked

Paul smiled, half chuckling "I'm fine…I went up to Mum's grave earlier before I picked you up from the hospital, I guess Gran might go later on"

Gail sat up gently allowing Paul to slide down and sit beside her, before leaning back to rest against him with his arm around her. Paul entwined his fingers with hers, looking intently at her engagement and wedding ring, Gail watched him curiously.

"What are you thinking?" she asked

Paul smiled "You know what I'm going to do when I'm rich and don't have any money worries" he said

Gail laughed "With three children…that could be a long time away darling, go on tell me?"

Paul sighed and pulled Gail closer to him "Change these rings…they're still the rings from the Marriage of Convenience, the ones you brought for yourself!"

"Darling they're just rings..It's not important. Perhaps there will be a time in the future, besides we've got more important things to think about" Gail said

"I know" Paul said, leaning his chin on her shoulder "Hey do you want a drink?"

"Mm, coffee sounds good" she replied

Paul walked into the kitchen and put the kettle on as Gail settled herself on the sofa.

"How is Rosemary coping with the Robinson Corporation?" she asked

Paul smiled "From what she tells me she's fine, she's avoiding winter in New York which is a relief. She's been looking at applications for the two new jobs and wants me to interview with her, she mentioned you as well if you wanted?"

Gail got up and walked over to him "I'm not sure about that…I'm out of the loop now, beside I'm not sure I'm up to doing interviews but there's no reason why you can't do them with Rosemary and we can discuss your thoughts afterwards" Gail said

Paul turned around and wrapped his arms around her "It's up to you; Rosemary said we can fit the interviews in between visits to the hospital. She mentioned some ideas about reducing some of the loans as well; something to do with the current shop leases. There's also some land which is unused that she said we could either sell off or rezone and potential investors for the hotel." He said

"I think reducing the debt is the priority, there's no point getting into more investments when you can't afford the ones you've got now" Gail said picking up her mug and walking back to the sofa, Paul followed her.

"Mm, yeah I suppose I agree. Though there would have been a time that I didn't!" he said laughing to himself "Also finding alternative ways of working; there's no reason why I can't work from home some days, as long as it isn't too much. The bonus of working from home is that you're here to talk through ideas with"

"If I've got time darling, I've got a feeling I might be a bit busy elsewhere?"

Paul sat back down and Gail moved closer to him "I haven't a problem with that but remember weekends are for us and the children" she said

Paul laughed "I know…I haven't forgotten what we agreed"

An hour later Paul and Gail arrived at the hospital, both keen to see their children.

"They seem quite lively at the moment" the nurse said "I think we're going to try both boys on a bottle tonight and see how they do. Robert is definitely ready for one; he's resisting the nasal tube so the sooner we can remove it the better, Cameron is also making really good progress"

Paul looked at the tiny little girl; Gail saw the look of concern on his face and gently squeezed his hand.

"What about Lucinda?" Paul asked

The nurse sighed "She's lost a little weight, but it's nothing to be alarmed by as it can happen with newborns. The good thing is she's stable and in her own way making progress"

The nurse left to make up the bottles for the babies as Paul moved closer to the incubator holding his daughter, placing his hand inside he gently stroked her tiny face. Gail watched him; a sense of pride overcame her when she saw how gentle he was with Lucinda. She moved closer to him placing her hand on his back, gently rubbing it.

"I just hope she's going to be okay" Paul whispered "She's just so small"

"I have a feeling she'll be fine…in a few years time she'll be running about the place and causing havoc just like her namesake"

Paul laughed "You have a feeling, do you?"

"Yeah, call it a Mother's intuition!"

Their conversation was interrupted by the nurse returning to the room with the bottles. Once seated Paul and Gail were each handed a baby; the nurse stayed with the couple advising them on feeding the babies. The room fell silent as the couple focussed on the babies feeding; finally when the babies finished feeding the nurse continued her duties. Paul looked at Gail as he gently rocked the baby in his arms and laughed, Gail caught his eye and realised that they both had tears in their eyes. Paul glanced at the remaining baby in the incubator and sighed sadly, he felt she was missing out and wanted to hold her. Gail sensed what he was feeling and reached out and touched his arm. Smiling she said

"Don't worry…I'm sure she'll be demanding our attention in a few days"

Paul laughed as the baby in his arms yawned "Guess I'm boring our son already…the nurse was pleased with the way he fed; he might not need the nasal tube after tomorrow" he said

"This little one kept falling asleep" Gail laughed

After the babies were settled again after their bottles Paul and Gail headed home. Paul noticed how tired Gail looked.

"Do you want to go home…or are you still okay to go to Dad's?" he asked as they drove out of the car park.

Gail smiled "that's fine, beside they're expecting us" she replied

As they arrived at No.26 in the empty kitchen Paul called out and Jim replied from the living room.

"Hey…have you eaten already?" Paul asked as they walked through

"No" Helen replied "Dinner is in the oven…we're just waiting for you two"

"So how are my grandchildren?" Jim asked "Still behaving themselves?"

Paul laughed "Course they are…they're my children what do you expect" he replied

Gail looked at Paul and shook her head in mock teasing

"The babies are fine…we managed to give both Robert and Cameron a bottle tonight; I think Robert takes after his father…talk about greedy" Gail said "Cameron kept falling asleep"

Helen laughed "Sounds like you too had a good evening then"

"Just a shame we couldn't take Lucinda out of the incubator" Paul said

"She's doing fine, Paul" Beverley said "I've got to go in early tomorrow so I'll check on her."

"What about the weight loss?" Paul asked

"That can sometimes happen with all newborns, she's had all the tests so there's nothing stopping her feeding properly. It's a slight setback but nothing to get alarmed about. Give her a few more days and I'm sure she'll be feeding with a bottle" Beverley said

Gail kissed Paul on the cheek saying "Don't be a worry wart…she's our daughter…she's a fighter, and if she's anything like her namesake, nothing will beat her"

Paul laughed "By the way where are Lucy and Todd?"

Lucy's in her bedroom doing homework and Todd is at a friend's house for dinner" Jim replied

"Well dinner's ready" Helen said "So why don't one of you see if she's finished her homework"

"I'll go" Gail said letting go of Paul's hand as the others moved towards the kitchen

Knocking on the bedroom door Gail let Lucy know dinner was ready. As they walked out to the lounge Lucy said "When can I come to the hospital with you and see the babies, I'm sure it wouldn't matter if I took time off school"

Gail laughed "Nice try…but your Dad is not going to let you get off school, I promise you can come with us at the weekend or when you're on holiday. That's only a week away" she said

"Okay" Lucy said "Will you listen to me play my flute later?"

Gail looked at her putting an arm around her shoulder "Sure maybe we can get that brother of yours to listen as well"

"He'll only make silly comments" Lucy said

Gail laughed "No he won't if he does I'll make him sleep in the nursery tonight"

"You wouldn't dare!" Lucy laughed

Gail winked at her "Watch me!"

Paul and Gail spent the next few days going back and fro to the hospital enjoying spending time with the babies and each other, the evenings they returned to Number 26 for dinner before settling back home. Each triplet was getting stronger, even their daughter was able to feed by bottle. Robert had been moved out of the incubator and into a bassinet within the special care unit so that he was still with his brother and sister while they remained in the incubators. The couple were relieved that everything was fine with the babies and felt more relaxed. That evening they were at Number 26, Gail was in the living room with Lucy playing the flute while the rest of the family were in the kitchen talking.

"Doesn't she know she can't play that thing" Todd joked

Paul laughed "How about having a bet on how many bad notes she plays mate"

"We can still hear you two…I'd be very careful Robinson" Gail said

Lucy put down the flute "Am I really that bad?" she asked

Gail laughed "No…you're better than I ever was…don't listen to them beside I know for a fact that your brother is tone deaf…you should hear him singing in the shower"

Paul was about to reply but thought better of it, getting up he went and closed the hatch doors between the kitchen and the living room. Gail heard him laughing, reopening the hatch she said

"You're pushing your luck matey"

"Promises, promises" he muttered

Lucy and Gail went back to the flute, ignoring the sarcastic comments coming from the other room, Gail promising that she would deal with Paul later. Minutes later the doorbell rang, Gail looked at her watch wondering who would be calling at this late hour, she called out to the others that she would get the door but Lucy was there before her.

"Uh oh" she said, Paul had walked out of the kitchen and on seeing who was at the door looking at Gail he rolled his eyes and mouthed 'Julie'

"Thought you weren't coming until Christmas" Lucy said "That's about another three weeks away"

"Change of plan…decided to come down earlier, Phil and the other two will be joining us at the weekend. Aren't you going to invite me in?" Julie asked pushing past Lucy

Lucy rolled her eyes "Come in why don't you?"

Jim and Helen had come out of the kitchen on hearing Julie's voice, Jim shook his head slightly annoyed that his eldest daughter didn't give them a courtesy phone call to let them know that she was on her way.

"Hi Dad" Julie said "Say hello Hannah"

Hannah took one look at Jim and hid behind her mother. Julie tried to push the little girl forward but she continued to back away. Paul walked up to the little girl and crouched down beside her.

"You must be Hannah" he said gently. "I bet you're hungry after your trip, why don't we go into the kitchen and find you something to eat"

Hannah looked up at her mother for approval before nodding her head. Paul gently took her hand and led her into the kitchen followed by Gail.

Jim went and sat down "Julie it's lovely to see you but we've not got enough room here at the moment. Todd is still here and he's not going home until next week" he said

"Well he can take the couch, Hannah and I will need his bedroom" Julie said "After all we're family"

"So is Todd" Jim muttered under his breath

"I'm not pushing him out of his room, Hannah can go in with Lucy and you will have to sleep on the couch. You didn't give us any warning"

Todd looked at Jim "I could always go home early, Uncle Jim. We're not doing that much at school"

"Dad you can't make me sleep on the couch, maybe we could stay with Paul and Gail for a few days while Todd is still here" Julie said

Jim became annoyed "You're not putting yourself on them; they've got enough to do without having to have you and Hannah"

Paul and Gail returned to the living room with Hannah who was munching on a biscuit. Hannah ran to her mother and looked at her Granddad curiously.

"I came to help" Julie said "It's been ages since you've seen your Granddaughter and I figured we were due for a visit. I thought we'd have a nice Christmas together"

"Everything will be fine" Helen said

Julie smiled "Well at least someone is pleased to see me"

"I didn't say I wasn't pleased to see you…just wished you had given us some warning" Jim said

Another ten minutes went by with Jim and Julie disagreeing about the sleeping arrangements resulting in Julie finally agreeing to spend the night on the couch. In her usual bossy manner she then proceeded to hug everyone ordering Hannah to do the same. At this point Gail felt that she was intruding and backed away into the kitchen, Paul seeing her go followed her. Gail felt an overwhelming sadness when she thought about the size of Paul's family and the fact that she didn't really have anyone now that her Dad was gone. Gail had her back to Paul as she looked out the window but he sensed her anxiety, walking up to her he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Hey what's wrong?" he said gently kissing her neck.

Gail turned to face him and he noticed the tears in her eyes "It's nothing I'm just being silly"

"Tell me" He said

Gail shook her head not wanting to say anything "I was going to make a drink" she said not wishing to take the conversation any further

Paul looked at her with a mischievous glint in his eye "How about we sneak out the back way" he said

"You wouldn't dare" she smiled

Paul looked for some paper and pen, wrote a note explaining that they had gone home and grabbed Gail's hand "I want to be alone with you..It's time to leave"

Gail brightened and quietly giggled "We can't…what will your sister think?"

"Not bothered to be honest…there's only one person I want to be with…so let's get moving Mrs Robinson"

As they got to their front door Paul burst out laughing.

"Ssshhhhh" Gail said

"The last time we did anything like this was two years ago when we sneaked out of the Waterhole, and if my memory serves me right we were trying to get away from my family then too" Paul said

Gail blushed at the memory of that night "Yeah we definitely had other things on our minds that night" she replied "I just remember feeling relieved and happy at how everything turned out and just wanting to be alone with you"

"I know but I have to say it was definitely worth the wait" he smirked as he opened the front door "Come on let's go and lock ourselves in here before someone finds us missing and you can tell me what's bothering you"

Paul walked over to the kitchen and put the kettle on whilst Gail sat on the sofa. Looking at her Paul could see that she was tired and slightly overwhelmed. Walking back over to her he sat down and put his arm around her.

"What's wrong?" he asked

Closing her eyes she sighed "It's just silly"

Paul smiled "We promised no more secrets and we would tell each other exactly what we were feeling so spill Mrs R"

Gail rested her head on his shoulder "I just found it a bit overwhelming, I love your family and I don't usually mind but it brought back the fact that with Dad gone I've got no one"

"Darling listen…you're my family and you'll always be part of the family as far as Dad and Gran are concerned" he said

Gail kissed him and smiled "Well we have our own family now" she said

"Exactly and that's all we need…each other and our children…everyone else is a bonus" he said

"I hate sneaking out on Jim and Helen like that" Gail said

"I'm sure they'll understand besides we did leave a note" Paul said "Even if I did only put 'Gone home' on it" he winked

Paul heard the kettle boil; kissing Gail he got up to make a hot chocolate for them both. She smiled as she heard him whistling to himself in the kitchen while he made the drinks. Finally he walked back into the living room and placed the drinks on the table.

"Is your sister always like that?" Gail asked

Paul laughed "Nope she's much worse…in fact she likes to think she can boss us all around"

"Hmm I'm the only one allowed to boss you around" Gail said

"Hey I don't let you do that" Paul said adamantly

"Well maybe you don't realise what I'm up to" she smirked

"Hmm" he said "Or maybe I just let you think that you're bossing me around"

Paul laughed "As if." He said looking at her he smiled "You're amazing you know that"

"You're not so bad yourself" she said

Paul pulled her closer to him "I love you so much..you've gone through so much to have these children, I'm so proud of what we've or rather what you've achieved"

"Mm, I love you to. But I have to say Robinson if you and Todd tease Lucy again over her flute playing…you're both in serious trouble" she laughed

Paul laughed "Yeah right!" he said, shaking his head

"You're supposed to encourage her!" Gail said

Paul put his arm around her and pulled her closer to him "Hmm you really have taken over the role of big sister with her haven't you" he said

"not sure on that one…not with Julie back, I might take a back seat" she said sadly

Paul looked at her "I wouldn't be so sure on that one to be honest, I saw her reaction to Julie tonight, she didn't exactly welcome her back with open arms, maybe she's picking up Dad's mood towards Julie, I know he isn't happy with her coming this Christmas, beside let's face it when Lucy was so ill in hospital Julie didn't come back to see her so if she wants to gain the role of big sister back she's going to have to work for it" he said

The following morning Paul and Gail were woken by the sound of urgent knocking on the front door. Paul looked at the alarm clock.

"7am…who's that at this time of morning" he said

Gail suddenly felt sick "Maybe it's Beverley…the babies"

Paul suddenly looked alarmed and jumped out of bed "I'll go and check" he said "You stay here"

"No I'm coming with you" she replied getting out of bed.

The pair hurried downstairs and Paul opened the door, a look of disgust crossed his face as he saw who it was. Looking at Gail he rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry…it's only Jules, he said walking away into the kitchen leaving the door open and Julie standing on the doorstep.

Gail looked slightly amazed at the cheek of Julie turning up at such an early hour in the morning. She silently watched as Julie scrutinised her surroundings as she walked in to the lounge.

"Why have you two got all this baby stuff hanging around here, there's no need for it, besides the babies are still in hospital and not likely to come for a while…that's if all three of them come home" Julie said

Gail opened her mouth to speak but couldn't find the words to say, she was beginning to understand why Jim wasn't looking forward to having his eldest daughter around. Paul turned around from putting the kettle on and shot Gail a look of dismay; she walked over to him, placing her hand on his back before going to get the cups out.

"Is there something we can do for you Julie?" Paul asked directly

"You don't change do you Paul, still the charming male chauvinist pig you always were" Julie replied

Gail looked at him "You just don't like early mornings do you darling"

"Yeah well he's going to have to get used to those" Julie said "Although knowing my beloved brother he'll leave all early mornings to you…in fact I can imagine it will be you bringing these babies up on your own while he gets on with whatever he does" she said to Gail.

Gail bit her tongue…"I'll get back to you on that one Julie" she said smiling at Paul.

"You don't know him as well as I do" Julie said

Gail just looked at her "mmm" she said

Paul was feeling tired and fed up at this point "Julie what do you want?" he said

"Thought I would come for breakfast and have a nice chat; seeing at you left early without a word" Julie replied

"We left a note" Paul said "Besides we were both tired and didn't want to get into a family argument"

"Well you could have invited me to stay here for the night instead I had to sleep on the couch" Julie replied

"So you thought you'd come and wake us nice and early as payback…" Paul said

Gail placed some toast and cereal on the table while Paul poured the coffee.

Julie sat down without being asked "I can't believe you two didn't invite us to your wedding" Julie said

Paul rolled his eyes and looked at Gail who just smirked "Yeah well, it was a very quiet affair, we didn't want to spoil Scott and Charlene's big day, besides you were invited to that and you didn't come in fact you were invited to Dad's and you didn't come to that either…so don't have a go at me for not inviting you to ours" he replied "Probably wouldn't have come"

"It would have been nice to have been asked" Julie said

"Oh for heaven's sake that was over two years ago so why bring it up now" Paul said sitting down at the table

"So what names have you given the triplets?" Julie asked

Paul looked at Gail and smiled "Well we have Robert James Robinson, Cameron Paul Robinson and Lucinda Anne Robinson"

"Hmm" Julie said "Robert Robinson isn't exactly ideal Paul, I thought you could come up with something better than that"

Gail shot Paul a glaring look.

"We chose the name after Gail's father" Paul said

"Oh yes I heard all about him from Hilary" Julie laughed

Paul reached for Gail's hand under the table and squeezed it "Julie you can stop that now…you're getting just as bad as Hilary criticising people" he said

"What about Lucinda…such an old fashioned name" Julie said

"I like it" Gail said

"So I guess she'll be called Lucy" Julie said

"No she won't…she's Lucinda, if when she's older she wants to shorten it we'll come up with an alternative" Paul said

"Yeah this family doesn't need another Lucy" Julie said

Gail kept quiet and looked at Paul raising her eyebrows.

"What was the birth like Gail?" Julie asked "I had a really easy birth with Hannah, and she was so good, slept through the night from the age of two months, walking by the time she was nine months…the perfect child"

Paul stifled a laugh

Gail looked at him and smiled "The birth was fine…not the easiest of births but everything turned out okay in the end" she said

"Yeah well just make sure you make my brother do his fair share of child care duties" Julie said "I know how hopeless he is, he'll be forever at the office while you're left coping with the babies, Phil did that to me but I was lucky as I only had Hannah, the other two were older and could fend for themselves. By the way Paul, I'd make sure you put their date of birth in your diary because you're sure to forget it"

"Julie I think it's time you left…we have to get ready to go to the hospital" Paul said

"Dad's going to drive me down later this morning before he goes to work" Julie said "So I guess I'll see you then"

"Great" Paul said

Paul showed Julie out while Gail got some more coffee. Paul looked at her after he shut the door and thought how tired she looked. Creeping up behind her he placed a kiss on her neck. Gail smiled

"What was that for?" she said

"Because I didn't get the chance to when I was rudely woken up by the front door" Paul said

Gail turned and pulled him towards her kissing him tenderly on the lips "I love you" she said "What is wrong with your sister…she seems set on getting at you"

"Don't worry about it…I'm used to it she's always been like that" Paul replied "Maybe she got out the wrong side of the bed…whoops I meant the couch"

Gail laughed "Yeah well she can cut it out…if she keeps that up I'll end up saying something"

Paul laughed "You're like a tiger with her cubs…so protective"

"So I'm allowed" Gail said "If she carries on she'll see just how hard mother tigers bite"

"I love this side of you" Paul said "But look don't rise to the bait it's not worth the energy. Let her think what she wants it's not important, besides after Christmas she'll be gone"

"Just hope we don't all end up wishing for Christmas to be over" Gail said sadly.

"You know I could absolutely kill her for coming around at that hour of the morning and scaring the life out of you. I saw your face, she should have known better than to have come around here at 7am whilst the babies are in the hospital". Paul said "You wait until I tell Dad"

Gail laughed "Now who's rising to the bait" she said hugging him tightly.

Later that morning Paul and Gail were at the hospital feeding the triplets when Jim arrived with Julie and Hannah. Paul rolled his eyes when he saw his sister. Hannah held tightly to her mother's hand.

"How are they doing?" Jim asked as he greeted the couple

"Fine" Gail said "The two boys are getting stronger, Cameron might be going into a bassinet tomorrow, the nurses think that he doesn't need the incubator anymore."

Jim looked at his tiny Granddaughter in the incubator "Lucinda has the nasal tube out at last" he said

"Yes" Paul said "She's feeding normally and gaining weight. Beverley came around earlier and thinks that give her another week and she'll be out of the incubator too"

Julie walked closer towards the incubators and looked in at the tiny baby "Hannah was so beautiful when she was born, all pink and cuddly, premature babies are so . . . so unattractive and wrinkly, totally uninteresting" she remarked. I mean at least Hannah moved around the bassinet when she was firstborn these are just attached to tubes and wires"

Jim looked at Paul and rolled his eyes "Julie…your mother taught you that if you couldn't think of anything nice to say then say nothing"

"I don't know why you bothered coming" Gail said

"Look Julie why don't you take Hannah to the canteen while I say goodbye to Paul and Gail. I have to go to work shortly" Jim said

"That's okay I can get a lift back with Paul and Gail" Julie replied

"Julie just for once do what I say" Jim said curtly

After she had gone Jim turned to the couple "I'm sorry" he said "Just ignore her"

"Yeah it's hard when she knocks on your door at 7am" Paul replied

"I told her she had no right to do that…in fact I told her she had come too damn early. As it is Todd is going home today. I feel like I'm forcing him out of his own home" Jim said

"Todd understands besides he's the lucky one…he won't have to put up with her over Christmas" Paul replied

Jim laughed then walked over to the incubators, reaching inside he gently took the tiny baby's hand and stroked it. He laughed as the baby curled her tiny finger around his.

"These three are beautiful and precious…don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise" he said "I'm so proud of both of you" Jim said

"Thanks Dad" Paul said "By the way Dad, you sure you didn't pick up the wrong baby when you took Julie home from the hospital…I mean she's not like you and she certainly has none of Mum's characteristics."

Jim and Gail laughed

"Yeah well lately I have considered that possibility…she's getting more and more like Hilary" Jim said "Well I better head off and see what she's up to. Still can't believe she arrived unannounced"

"Bye" the couple said as they watched Jim leave the unit. Paul smiled at Gail as she sat holding Cameron.

Paul took the baby from Gail and gently placed him back in the incubator, checking on Robert as he passed the basinet. "Looks like the three of them are ready for a sleep" he said.

That afternoon Gail and Paul curled up on the sofa, after Julie's early morning wake up call both feeling shattered. Paul groaned at the sound of a knock on the door.

"If that's Julie I'll tell her we're busy" he said as he got up to answer it.

A grin crossed his face when he saw who it was "Hey munchkin what brings you here?"

"Where's Gail?" Lucy replied

"On the sofa…why?" Paul said rolling his eyes wondering what his other sister had been up to.

Lucy walked past him to Gail; she noticed the tears in Lucy's eyes and stretched out her arms.

"Hey what's wrong?" she asked

"Julie! She told me to stop playing the flute as I couldn't hold a tune if my life depended on it" Lucy said "She's been bossing me around, telling me to clean my bedroom. Can't I stay with you?" she asked

Gail sighed "Luce as far as we're concerned you can, but I'm afraid your Dad doesn't think it's a good idea with us having to look after the triplets" she said "But we're coming round for dinner after we've fed the babies tonight so how about you do some flute practice afterwards"

"What about Julie?" Lucy asked

"Don't worry let me handle her" Gail said

"Can I come and see the babies with you tonight?" Lucy asked

Gail looked at Paul "I don't see why not" she replied "Have you finished your homework"

"It's getting near Christmas so I didn't have any" Lucy said

"Okay go and tell Gran where you're going?" Paul said

"Thanks" Lucy said "I'll be right back"

After she had gone Paul turned to Gail and said

"One Nil to you I make that"

Gail laughed "Maybe however it's one thing when she picks on us but it's another when she upsets Lucy like that. She's doing fine with the flute"

"I know" Paul said "Urgggh she's only been here five minutes and already she's causing trouble"

The days past quickly with Paul and Gail visiting the triplets; ten days before Christmas they were able to take Robert home and continued to visit the hospital to see the other two during the day, although they too were getting stronger and would be home in time for Christmas hopefully. Paul had completed interviews for new staff in the office and after consultation with Gail and Rosemary had appointed new staff, still preferring to leave the running of the office to Rosemary he went in occasionally to pick up correspondence.

Most evenings they went over to Number 26 for dinner but at times felt overwhelmed by Julie's insistence that she knew everything there was about childcare and her constant instructions and criticisms over how they were managing. The strain was beginning to show on all the family. One evening everyone was gathered at No.22 discussing plans for Christmas. Suddenly Jim exclaimed

"It's no good she's driving me crazy" Jim said "Lucy is either in her room or over here, Julie is constantly snipping at her, I don't know maybe she's making up for lost time but whereas four years ago Lucy wouldn't have said anything now she's fighting back"

Paul and Gail looked at each other a little alarmed at Jim's sudden statement but their attention was averted by Helen.

"It's like being in the middle of a battlefield" Helen said "She says she came to help but ever since she's got her all she's done is caused trouble. She's taken over the kitchen, the kids are always fighting and Hannah…she's just spoilt"

"Helen you know that you and Lucy can come and stay here" Gail said "I have a feeling even with three babies around it will be a lot quieter than over the road"

"I don't know" Jim said "You two have got enough to cope with"

"But Dad we are coping, with Rosemary here I haven't got to worry about the hotel or the business; we're slowly getting Robert into a routine, we're fine" Paul said

Gail looked over at Robert asleep in basinet and smiled "Well if you won't stay here at least you know you can come over here any time you need to" she said

The conversation was interrupted by the door opening and Lucy rushing in, out of breath from running over.

"Do you want to know what she's tried to do now" she said

"Lucy…sssh Robert's settled" Helen said

"Sorry…it's just she's taken my flute away and told me it wasn't worth practising as I was no good"

"She did what?" Gail said

"What is she doing now?" Paul said

"Making dinner…she asked me where you all were by the way" Lucy said "I think even Phil and the others are out to get away from her"

"Maybe I should go and have a chat to her" Paul said

"Do you want some company?" Gail asked

"No stay with Robert I won't be long" Paul said kissing her

"I'll come" Lucy said her eyes sparkling mischievously

"You stay here" Paul said

Gail watched Paul walk out not knowing whether talking to Julie was a good idea or not, the last thing she wanted was to antagonise her further. Lucy sat down on the sofa next to her and began chatting about what she had been doing at school. Half an hour past and Gail wondered if Paul needed rescuing, asking Helen and Beverley to keep an eye on Robert she said she was going next door, Lucy followed her but Gail suggested it would be wiser for her stay at No.22.

"I came to help you and Gail" Julie said "But you two are so ungrateful"

"I wouldn't call criticising us helping" Paul said "You constantly reminding us how wonderful Hannah is and how uninteresting the triplets are"

Julie laughed "You know…you really have got it made, the only reason you and Gail are staying in Ramsay Street is because you've got Gran and Dad to help you raise your children. I guess the minute she can Gail will go back to work and Gran will be lumbered with her great Grandchildren"

"That's not true, how dare you" Paul said "Gail loves Ramsay Street and wants to stay here…we're looking after our children together without anyone else"

Gail and Lucy entered through the back door, Lucy went to move into the kitchen but Gail held her back, gently putting her finger over her lips to quieten her after hearing Paul and Julie's raised voices.

"Yeah and how long is this relationship going to last Paul, let's face it you're a failure in that department, I'll give it a year and then she'll leave just like all the others and you'll be left with nothing" Julie said

"Julie I'm warning you nicely I want you to back off…the constant sniping at us isn't doing any good, Gail doesn't need it and I won't have her upset" Paul said

"I told you I'm only trying to give helpful advice, after all you're going to need it" Julie said "I came here to see the family after all it's been four years. I wanted to see my niece and nephews and of course it's important that Hannah knows her Grandfather"

"Same old Jules, always wanting to be the one to take charge" Paul said "Always right no matter what..well just stay away from me and my family, if anyone is going to take care of them it's me"

Julie laughed and shook her head "My useless brother taking care of his family, I don't think so. Do you know how often I lay awake and listened to you crying at night after Mum died? You couldn't cope when this family was falling apart, how are you going to cope when your family falls apart, because I guarantee it will do"

Paul looked gobsmacked unable to find the words he needed, meanwhile Gail felt herself tense up in the laundry room, she wanted to defend Paul but knew that Lucy was getting upset to. Hugging Lucy close to her she continued listening making a mental note to deal with Julie later herself.

"What the hell do you know about it, I was the one there for Lucy while you were self indulging" Paul said

"Lucy…it's always been about Lucy, this whole family has revolved around her for the last fourteen years, well you forgot one tiny point if it hadn't been for Lucy our mother would still be alive and this family wouldn't have fallen apart" Julie said

Paul closed his eyes "That's not fair…you can't blame Lucy for what happened to Mum" he said

Julie laughed "Dad didn't want Lucy, he pleaded with Mum to get rid of the baby, they already had us they didn't need another one but Mum refused, told him that the baby's life was more important than hers. Personally I think she was selfish"

"I don't believe you just said that" Paul said "She did what she thought was best or what conscience told her to do."

Gail and Lucy stood frozen to their spot in the laundry room; Gail saw the tears in Lucy's eyes and hoped that Paul and Julie would move into the living room.

Julie rolled her eyes "She should have thought about her other children, we needed her but we were left with a constant reminder of why she died. We lost a mother, Dad lost a wife and Gran lost a daughter, all thanks to Lucy" she said

"That's enough" Paul said in a stern tone "You really hate our sister that much?"

Julie looked at him, a hard expression on her face. No words were needed.

"That's why you didn't come back to visit her in the hospital when she was sick, it's all falling in to place now. Dad phoned you but you told him that Phil wouldn't be able to get time off work to look after the children" Paul said "We were all so worried about her…but you…" suddenly out of the corner of his eye he saw Lucy standing by the laundry door, tears on her cheeks. Gail stood behind her having been unable to stop her. Lucy moved over to where Paul stood and Gail followed, placing her arm around Paul she stroked his back as reassurance. Lucy looked at Julie. Paul put his arm around Gail's shoulder needing her strength, unable to find the words he needed to say.

"You're a liar" Lucy shouted "Mum didn't die because of me"

"It's okay Luce…Jules and I are just talking" Paul said trying to calm the situation. He looked at Gail…no words were needed they both knew what the other was thinking.

Julie laughed "Lies..I don't think so…"

The tears streamed down Lucy's face as Paul attempted to pull her closer to him and Gail.

"Save the crocodile tears Lucy…you're nothing but a spoilt selfish brat that even Dad didn't want"

Gail looked at Julie, in disbelief, as she walked past into the living room. Silence hung in the air no one knowing what to say.


	7. Chapter 7

**Once again thanks to Mills for her help with the visual effects ******

Paul broke the silence, glancing firstly at Gail and then Lucy, he angrily said

"I need to get out of here now!"

Gail was taken aback by the sharp tone in his voice, realising she had never heard him like that. She looked at Lucy, seeing that she was in shock she placed her hand gently on her shoulder, and felt her stiffen and pull away. Lucy looked up

"Is it true?" she asked with a hurt look on her face

"Not now Lucy" Paul said in a softer tone trying to sound reassuring

"Yes now…I want to know if what Julie said is true…am I the reason Mum is dead?" she replied

"Luce…let's go back to our house and we can discuss it there" Gail said in an attempt to diffuse the situation

"Why should I…everyone hates me…Dad didn't want me" Lucy cried "I'm not going anywhere with you"

Paul looked at them both, unsure how to respond and desperately searching for words; Gail reached for his hand and squeezed it gently, she sensed he was upset.

"No one hates you Lucy…" Paul said "Just let's go back to our house" looking to Gail.

Reluctantly Lucy agreed and the three of them walked back to number 22 in silence, Lucy pushed the door open, looked at the others in the lounge and rushed upstairs.

"Lucy!" Gail called after her, she was distracted by Paul as he let go of her hand and walked into the kitchen, pouring himself a drink he walked outside, not wishing to discuss what had just happened. Jim, Helen and Beverley looked stunned and confused. Gail walked over and looked at Robert sleeping in the basinet; gently she stroked his face and smiled sadly when she felt him move a little. Suddenly feeling drained she went to sit down, she didn't know what to say or where to start; she wished that Lucy had never gone over to number 26 with her. Jim broke the silence.

"What happened?" he asked

Gail was still slightly shocked, she couldn't believe what Julie had said and in such a vicious way.

Gail sighed not knowing where to begin, taking a deep breath she started "Paul and Julie were arguing in the kitchen when we walked in to the laundry" lowering her voice and looking down at her hands as she continued "she was telling him how useless he was, that our marriage won't last, the only reason we live in Ramsay Street is for the babysitters, that work is more important than family. I guess that is enough"

Helen looked at Gail, seeing the hurt on her face she walked over to her and sat down beside her.

"That's not true and we all know it" Helen said

Unable to contain her anger any longer Gail continued.

"She seems to have it in for Paul; ever since she got here she's been making snide comments about him, he's just shrugged it off but now….I don't know" Gail said

"What's wrong with Lucy then?" Jim asked

Gail closed her eyes _'Lucy'_ she thought, looking up towards the stairs she continued. "Paul reacted and Julie just kept going on about what it was like immediately after Lucy was born, how Paul couldn't cope, that he wouldn't cope with our children and our marriage would suffer. Paul told her that he was the one there for Lucy while she was self indulging, that's when she started on Lucy"

"So this is just a family argument" Beverley said "I'm sure it will blow over"

Gail sighed "It won't…not easily" she said not wanting to go any further.

"What do you mean?" Helen asked feeling more worried

"Gail is there something you're not telling us? Paul came in and hasn't said a word, Lucy's stormed upstairs. What's going on?" Jim asked in an urgent tone

"Okay...Julie started talking about how the family revolves around Lucy, that everyone seemed to forget that if it wasn't for Lucy Anne would still be alive. She went on to say how Jim hadn't wanted Anne to continue with the pregnancy. She apparently felt that her Mum had been selfish and not thought about the whole family; only about the unborn baby. Lucy and I were still in the laundry room . . .she heard everything" Gail said shrugging her shoulders in despair "she called Julie a liar and Julie calmly told her that she was nothing but a spoilt brat. I'm sorry Jim, I wish I hadn't let her come over with me" Gail said

Jim sighed "Don't be silly it's not your fault…I need to talk to Lucy" he said rubbing his head in tiredness as he sat forward.

Pausing Gail said "Jim would you consider letting Paul and I talk to Lucy first… I don't think she's in any mood to talk at the moment. She feels that she's been lied to, that the family feels the same way that Julie does"

"That's not true" Jim said

"I know and I understand" Gail said "Let me talk to her…maybe I can get through to her"

"Where is Julie now?" Jim asked

"Still at your house I think" Gail replied "Listen why don't you let Lucy stay here until Julie leaves? I'm not sure she'll come home while she's there anyway"

"But you two have enough to deal with" Jim and Helen said in unison.

Gail smiled "Jim, we're fine, Robert is settling in nicely and we'll cope with Lucinda and Cameron somehow when they come home." she said

"It looks like we don't have any choice" Jim said "For the past four years Julie has never come home for the Christmas…suddenly this year is different and she needs to come and see the family. I'm under no illusions that the only reason she's here is because she doesn't want the triplets to get all the attention"

Gail looked at Helen "I think she's also jealous of my friendship with Lucy" Gail said

"That's still no excuse for what she's said" Jim said "Just at the moment I could disown her; I'm fed up with it, ever since she's got here she's caused nothing but tension…I'm going to have a talk with her…she either apologizes to Lucy or she can leave"

Standing up he walked over to the door

"Where are you going?" Beverley asked

"My youngest daughter won't talk to me…I'm going to make sure my eldest daughter listens to what I have to say" he replied

Helen looked at Gail "I think it's time we let you talk to Lucy."

Gail showed them out, closing the door and leaning against it she looked at the baby sleeping before climbing the stairs. Calling Lucy's name she found her in the nursery, sitting on the rocking chair. Sighing she walked over and knelt down in front of her.

"Hey why don't you come downstairs with me and we can talk" she said

"What's there to talk about...I've just found out that I caused my Mum's death and my Dad doesn't really love me" Lucy replied

"Hey, that's not true!" Gail said

"Just leave me alone…I don't want to talk to anyone…people just lie" Lucy said

Gail realizing that she wasn't going to get anywhere with Lucy in this mood stood up, sighing she said "Okay…you don't want to talk…that's fine but don't shut out the people who love you" she said

Going downstairs she glanced at the basinet, discovering it empty she walked over to the back door and saw Paul sitting on the step cradling the baby. She joined him and sat down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder, gently stroking the baby's face.

"He started crying" Paul said

"I know I heard him through the intercom but I knew you'd get him" Gail replied

"How is she?" Paul asked

Gail closed her eyes "I don't know…she's hurting and she seems to be distancing herself. I honestly thought I could get her to talk to me" she said

Paul closed his eyes, Gail sensed that he was having trouble with his emotions; gently she placed her arm around his back and kissed his cheek.

"How much did you two hear?" Paul asked

"All of it…how I'm going to dump my children on Helen and Jim that's if I don't walk out on you before that; how you're useless and won't be able to cope with our family. Then there was the stuff about Lucy, how Jim didn't want Anne to continue with the pregnancy, how he said they didn't need another child." Gail replied

Paul looked at Robert in his arms and kissed his forehead "Gail she was so vicious, the way she behaved with Lucy, she didn't bother to backtrack but simply told her that Dad didn't want her. As for you, she doesn't know you, she doesn't know anything about our relationship what you went through to have these children." Paul said

"Darling I'm not worried about what she thinks about me; I'm more concerned about you and Lucy. I know she's hurt you" Gail said

"I don't want anything to do with her, she's not welcome here and I certainly don't want her anywhere near our children for that matter. Speaking of which what are we going to do about Lucy?" Paul said

Gail sighed "Just at the moment we can't do anything, we'll have to wait until she's ready to talk. She's not at school so let her stay with us for a while…she can help with the babies"

"The crazy thing is that Julie and Mum weren't close; they used to argue all the time" Paul said "Look at the time we've got to get back to the hospital to feed Cameron and Lucinda…what do we do about Lucy?"

"I'll go and see if Helen or Beverley can come over for a while. We can take Robert with us but I'm not sure I want to leave her here on her own." Gail said

"This is such a mess" Paul said "I'm sorry you got caught up in it"

"Hey we're a team besides this is the only family I've got now. I love you and we will sort this out together" Gail said "Come on let's get this little one fed and changed and then see the others"

"Do you think I should go and talk to Lucy first?" Paul asked

Gail looked at him, knowing how upset he was she thought it best he didn't "Darling she wouldn't talk to me…you're upset and I'm just worried that she'll reject you and hurt you even more. I think we have to let her come around in her own time. She knows we're here when she wants to talk"

Gail walked over to Number 26 while Paul fed Robert. Walking in through the kitchen Gail called out, Jim indicated they were in the living room.

"How's Lucy?" Jim asked

Gail sighed "Not good, she won't talk to me and just wants to be left alone. I think we're going to have to leave her to come around in her own time." She said "I was wondering whether one of you can come over to ours to just keep an eye on her while we go to the hospital"

"Sure" Helen said "Are you taking Robert, you could always leave him with me"

"Are you sure?" Gail asked "Paul's giving him his bottle now, so he should sleep afterwards"

"Of course I'm sure" Helen said

"I just don't know what brought this on, Julie always seemed to get on well with Lucy, and there was never any hint that she resented Lucy over her Mother's death. In fact I thought both her and Paul were in agreement that Lucy didn't need to know what happened to her Mum" Jim said

"Have you spoken to her?" Gail asked

"Yeah we had an argument. She said it was Paul's fault that she was just defending herself" Jim said

Gail looked shocked "Defending herself how? I heard the conversation Jim, she told Paul he was useless and wouldn't be able to cope with his family. She then started talking about how it was Lucy's fault that Anne died."

Jim walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulder "It's okay I know it wasn't Paul's fault, he and Lucy are so close he'd never do anything to hurt her" he said "I don't know Julie has changed so much, I feel I don't know her and just at the moment I don't like her very much"

"Is it jealousy?" Gail asked "That the family have coped without her being here for the last four years, I mean let's face it no one welcomed her with open arms"

"It doesn't excuse what she said" Helen replied

Jim sighed "What's done is done; we just need to find a way through this" he said

Gail smiled "Don't worry Lucy can't stay upstairs forever and when she is ready to talk Paul and I will be there for her" she said "Right now I need to get back home though"

"Okay give my Grandchildren a kiss for me" Jim said

"I will" Gail replied smiling as she left

Paul and Gail went to the hospital to feed Lucinda and Cameron, slightly relieved to be away from Ramsay Street for an hour. Thoughts of Lucy played heavily on their minds but both knew that there was nothing they could do and needed to concentrate on the babies. The nurses remarked that both babies were progressing well, gaining weight and would be able to go home shortly. On the drive back home Gail glanced at Paul, he looked tired and she knew he was upset. When they arrived back at the house, Helen told them she had made something for their dinner, which was in the oven, Robert was sleeping peacefully downstairs in the basinet but Lucy seemed to have moved to the spare room. After Helen had gone Gail went and called Lucy downstairs for something to eat but she declined, deciding that she couldn't let her go hungry she took a tray up to her.

That evening Gail was woken at 3am by Robert's crying, glancing towards Paul she saw that he was fast asleep, knowing how restless he had been in the night she decided to let him sleep on. Quietly she got up, walked over to the basinet; picking the baby up she quietly spoke to him, trying to ease his crying, glancing at Paul she smiled at the fact that he was still asleep. Putting the light on she gently cooed to the baby as she walked downstairs and was startled by the figure standing at the lounge window looking out.

"Lucy...what are you doing up?"

Lucy turned and looked at her but didn't say a word; Gail sighed and walked over to the kitchen.

"Well I see you had something to eat" she said when she saw the empty plate on the draining board.

Lucy moved into the kitchen, her eyes fixed on the baby.

"Can I feed him?" Lucy asked

Gail turned and looked at her for a minute, hoping that this was the way to get Lucy to open up she smiled and said "Sure...go and sit on the sofa and you can hold him while I fix his bottle"

"He's so tiny" she said

Gail laughed "He won't stay like that for long…not the way he's eating" she replied

"Where's Paul?" Lucy asked

"In bed…snoring" Gail laughed

Lucy gave a half laugh "Does he really snore?"

"Sure does" Gail said as she walked back into the kitchen to make the bottle. Every so often she sneaked a look at Lucy gently rocking the baby in her arms and softly talking to him. Making sure that the milk wasn't too hot she walked back over to them, and handed Lucy the bottle.

"Just be careful...don't let him drink it too fast or he'll be sick…he has a tendency to be greedy just like his Dad" Gail smiled, gently stroking the baby's cheek.

Silence filled the living room but it was a comfortable silence not as strained as it was when she spoke to Lucy in the nursery. After a while Lucy looked at Gail.

"Does Paul hate me too?" she said

Gail smiled "I know Paul...I know that he loves you very much, just at the moment he's upset and doesn't know what to do, he wants to talk to you but he doesn't want to hurt you" she replied

"What Julie said was true wasn't it? Mum died because of me" Lucy said

Gail felt the tears in her eyes, placing her arm around Lucy she looked at the baby, then back at Lucy, gently she shook her head "Lucy no one thinks that, what happened...was sad but it wasn't your fault"

"Julie said Mum was selfish for choosing to have me, what do you think?" Lucy asked

Gail thought back to her conversation with Paul "No I don't think she was selfish in fact she was incredibly brave to do what she thought was right. When you're pregnant you do everything that is recommended for you and the baby, or in my case babies! You change your life for that time because you want the best for the baby. Lucy it's obvious that your Mum loved all her children…including you before you were born, she did what was right for you and hoped that everyone else was wrong."

"What would you have done?" Lucy asked

Gail watched the baby in Lucy's arms, feeding contently on the bottle "Lucy everyone is different, my situation was different because we had help with these babies and maybe this will be our only chance to have children. I know if I faced the situation I would have done the same, I couldn't have done anything to harm them"

"I'm scared" Lucy said

Gail looked at her slightly confused "Of what?"

"That now I know the truth that Dad and Gran won't have to pretend to love me anymore."

Gail sighed "You're not listening to me Luce…your Dad and Gran love you. I know I haven't been part of your family for long Lucy but I know when I see people who love each other. Take it from me, to have brothers and sisters is a bonus. I was on my own growing up and lost my Mum when I was young it wasn't easy as it was just Dad and I" she said

"Why does Julie hate me?" Lucy said

"I don't know what is going through her mind; she's been picking on Paul ever since she got here and to be honest I'm tired of it." Gail replied

"She said that you will leave Paul" Lucy said

Gail shook her head "I'm not going anywhere…I love Paul. Sure we've had problems and I blamed him for my Dad's death and getting caught up in work but we've talked it through and come out stronger. Paul's my best friend and there's no one I'd rather be with than him" Gail said "Lucy nothing has changed believe me…the people who really matter love you, don't give another thought to what Julie said, it isn't important…"

Gail was interrupted by Paul walking down the stairs. Lucy glanced at him but then looked back at the baby in her arms, not knowing what to say to Paul or whether she really felt she could trust him Paul and Gail exchanged looks both able to read each others thoughts without the need for words.

"Hey who wants some drinking chocolate?" Gail asked

Paul laughed "Okay"

"Yes please" Lucy replied quietly.

As Gail got up, Paul went to sit by Lucy; gently he placed his arm around her. Smiling he looked down at the baby.

Lucy looked at Paul "He's kind of cute isn't he?"

Paul laughed "Yeah he sure is, this takes me back to when I used to feed you in the middle of the night" he said

"Did you really get up in the night for me?" Lucy asked

Paul laughed "Yeah in fact I stayed up all night with you"

"Why? Where was Dad" Lucy asked

Paul looked at Gail, not knowing what to say, Gail nodded for him to tell the truth but he knew he had to do it gently "Well Dad was still in shock over Mum; I woke up one night and found you in your cot in the living room. In the beginning I used to make sure that I was awake enough to hear you crying but in the end I got up and went to sit with you in the living room" Paul said

"What happened, weren't you tired?" Lucy asked

Paul smiled "I was exhausted, I was still going to school, doing homework and helping around the house. I kept falling asleep during the day and Gran made me tell her why, that's when she decided to move in" Paul said

"Why did you lie to me?" Lucy asked

Gail walked back into the living room and placed the drinks on the coffee table, sitting on the sofa opposite. She looked at Paul and smiled.

Paul continued "Luce we never lied to you…we told you Mum died when you were a baby, which is what happened" he sighed

"Did Mum ever hold me?" Lucy asked

Gail looked at Paul, tears forming in her eyes; she knew how painful this was for him and Lucy.

Paul gently stroked Lucy's face "I honestly don't know Luce…there's only one person who can answer that question, I was at home with Gran" he said

"Why does Julie hate me?" Lucy said

"I can't answer that Luce" Paul said "To be honest I'm annoyed with her, she's not only hurt you but she's also said things about Gail and I as well."

"I don't want to go back home while she's there, and I don't want to go there for Christmas, can I spend it with you and the babies?" Lucy asked

"Well we didn't think you would want to go back while Julie's there so Jim has agreed that you can stay here…but I'm not sure about Christmas…I think we need to think about that one" Gail said

Paul looked at her "Sorry Gail but I'm not letting my children go anywhere near her"

Gail smiled "Okay you two listen; we can still visit Christmas Day to see Beverley, Jim and Helen"

"We don't have to stay long?" Lucy asked searchingly

Paul shook his head "Nope an hour or two at the most to do the presents"

"Then we invite the rest of the family over here if they want to come and continue celebrating Christmas, Julie can do whatever she wants" Gail said

"But she's not invited" Lucy said

Gail laughed "not just at the moment"

"We could go in the morning and then the rest of the family could come over for tea, mm sounds like a plan" Paul said

"But you won't want to be stuck with me" Lucy said sadly

Paul smiled and put his arm around her "Luce, you're my sister and always will be...of course I want you around" he said

"Lucy we love having you around…we named our daughter after you, what more do you want" Gail laughed, stifling a yawn.

Paul looked at her and saw how tired she looked "Darling you should go to bed and get some rest, I'll make sure Robert is settled" he said

"I think he's falling asleep" Lucy said

"Okay" Gail said "Don't you two stay up too long, we have to go to the hospital in the morning" going off to bed she kissed Paul goodnight

As Paul collected their mugs and entered the kitchen Lucy said "Thanks for telling me the truth"

Paul turned and looked at her "Well I guessed you deserved to know but there's someone else who wants to talk to you" he said, as he went back to washing the mugs.

"You mean Dad?" Lucy said

Paul left the mugs to drain and walked back and sat on the sofa next to Lucy "Yes Luce…he loves you like anyone of us" he said

"But….he didn't want me" Lucy replied

Paul silently cursed his other sister, gently he stroked the side of Lucy's face "Oh Lucy, Julie twisted everything." He said, trying to find the right words he thought for a moment "The pregnancy was risky; he was scared for both you and Mum. When you love someone you will do anything to protect them and keep them from harm, believe me if Gail had been in the same situation I probably would have done the same" Looking down at the baby he smiled "Of course she would have killed me for suggesting it. The point is he didn't want Mum to suffer, he wanted you but he just hated the fact that Mum was risking her life"

Paul got up holding the baby and reached for Lucy's hand. On arriving at her bedroom door, Paul pulled her into an embrace and gently kissed her head "Are you going to be okay?" he asked

Lucy looked at him and smiled "I think so" she said

"We can talk more tomorrow but right now you need to get some sleep. Gail's right what Julie said is unimportant and it isn't true. The family loves you and I know for a fact that Dad isn't happy with Julie" he said, wishing her goodnight he watched as she went inside the bedroom.

The following morning, Paul and Gail were eating breakfast when Lucy joined them downstairs.

"Morning, we're going to the hospital after breakfast to see Lucinda and Cameron, you can join us if you want and help look after Robert while we feed the other two" Gail said

An hour later Paul and Gail were putting Robert into his car seat when Lucy joined them outside.

"It's a good job I did change the car, we'd never have got all this equipment in the back of my old one" Paul said

Gail went and got in the front seat after making sure Robert was secured in the car seat, while Lucy got in the back. Just as Paul was about to close the boot, he heard Lucy groan, Gail looked at Lucy who was rolling her eyes. Paul heard the commotion and looked up to see his elder sister walking towards them, he called out that he didn't have time to talk and quickly got into the drivers seat and started up the engine and drove off.

Gail looked almost shocked "Paul, slow down you nearly hit her" she said

In the rearview mirror Paul caught the sight of Lucy smiling as she gently held the baby's hand.

"Can we please take it easy now…remember you have precious cargo in this car!" Gail said

Julie watched as the car drove away from Ramsay Street, shaking her head she looked around to check that no one had seen what had just happened, relieved that there wasn't anyone about she stormed back into number 26. Slamming the door she walked into the kitchen.

"I can't believe that man…he nearly knocked me over" she said

"What do you expect" Jim said "You insult Gail; you insult their children not to mention what you said to Lucy yesterday"

"Come on Dad, let's face it he's got a hopeless record with relationships, what are the chances of this marriage lasting and as for Lucy she'll just have to grow up" Julie said "It's all about Lucy isn't it and when Mum was alive it was always Paul. Maybe just maybe if she had still been alive now we may have been close" Julie said

"So Gail was right, you are jealous" Jim said half smiling

"No" Julie said vehemently "But it would be nice for once in this family that some of the attention was on my family instead of Paul, Scott or Lucy"

"Well you haven't been here for the last four years, where were you when your sister was sick or Scott got married. You moved away…chose to bring up your family away from here, I never forced you out" Jim said "You really can't stand the fact that Lucy has grown up and won't do everything that you want her to, that she prefers the company of Gail to you…maybe Gail treats her as an equal and not like a child"

"She is a child" Julie said "It's not fair Dad, Hannah is your Grandchild too but you've hardly given her any time while we've been here…it's all about those damn triplets"

Jim looked at his daughter, feeling anger he walked towards the door "Just at the moment I'm sick of the sight of you…you didn't visit to see the family, you came here to make sure that your family wasn't forgotten. What more I want to know how you can be jealous of a fourteen year old girl who has never known her Mother?"

Meanwhile at the hospital, Paul and Gail sat feeding Lucinda and Cameron while Lucy cuddled Robert.

"These two are alike" she said as she looked at the baby in her arms and at Cameron.

Gail laughed "Yep they sure are, can you imagine what mischief they're going to get up to when they're older" she said

Gently Lucy took Cameron's hand and laughed when he tried to squeeze her finger. Gail watched and smiled to herself as she saw a faint smile on Lucy's face, suddenly as fast as it appeared it disappeared.

"She gave this up for me" Lucy said quietly

Gail looked at her and waited for her to continue. Lucy looked up at her

"I mean Mum…she risked her life to let me live and gave up the chance of watching her children grow up" Lucy said

Paul looked at Gail, both not needing to say anything…both understanding what the other was thinking and feeling.

"She didn't see it like that Lucy" Paul said "She loved you just as much as she loved us, she couldn't have done anything to harm you…it would have destroyed her"

"When we finished here…can we visit Mum's grave?" Lucy asked

"Sure" Paul said looking at Gail for confirmation "We can pick up some flowers on the way"

"That sounds like a good idea. It will give me a chance to see Dad's grave as well" said Gail

Paul looked at her and smiled.

"When are these two coming home?" Lucy asked

"Beverley said at the end of the week" Paul said "So young lady, it's going to be all hands to the deck"

"You mean you don't mind me staying at your house" Lucy said

"Nope…free babysitter, you can deal with the dirty nappies…hmm what more could we want" Paul smirked

Gail shook her head and laughed "Just be careful Robinson…you may find yourself on nappy duties" she said

"Ganging up on me already" Paul laughed "Good job I'll have both my boys with me to keep the girls in line"

An hour later Paul parked his car in the cemetery car park.

Lucy handed the flowers to Gail and took hold of the pram, almost racing ahead of Paul and Gail.

"Hold on" Paul shouted "It's not a race"

"You're a fine one to talk" Gail said "Especially after the way you tried to mow your sister down this morning"

"What can I say she deserved it!" Paul replied "She seems a bit brighter but I know she's still worried about speaking to Dad"

"Don't worry I'll try and talk to her later" Gail said

Paul pulled her closer to him and stopped walking "I'm sorry… with the babies and Lucy I forgot what you're going through, with Rob I mean" he said

Gail kissed him "Hey I'm okay…I just remember what happened when I found out I was adopted, how I treated Dad and told him that I never wanted to see him again. I know Lucy feels that everyone lied to her, but I want to try and get her to realize that her Dad wasn't lying to her, he did what he did because he loved her and that he's the last person she should shut out" she said

"She's also worried that now that she knows the truth, dad and Gran won't have to pretend they love her anymore" Paul said

Gail looked at him "By the way how much of our conversation did you hear?" she laughed

"Almost all of it, I got up shortly after you last night…I was coming downstairs to keep you company but I heard you two talking and I figured that it was best to leave you to it" Paul said

"I'm still not sure how she is, I think we got through to her but I'm not sure how much she really believes…Julie's remarks about everyone hating her including Jim hurt her and I think she's scared" Gail said

"I'm sorry she seems to have taken over at the moment…we appear to have lost our son" Paul said

Gail smiled "Don't worry…it just means that I can pay more attention to his Father"

"Come on you two" Lucy called back after stopping

As they approached the grave, Paul saw that there seemed to be flowers on there already, getting closer he saw the red roses.

"Dad's been here" he said quietly

Gail watched Paul and Lucy tend to the flowers on the grave, gently she put her hand on Paul's back and he stood up.

"Hey, are you okay?" he said, placing his arm around her

"I'm going to go up to Dad's grave" she said

Making a move Paul said "I'll come with you…I'm sure Lucy will be okay"

Smiling she placed her hand on his chest "Darling let me do this on my own" she said

"But……"

"I'm fine…I just want to take our son up to see his other Grandfather" she said, seeing a look of rejection in his eyes she smiled "I'm fine…stay with Luce"

Paul sighed "Okay…if you're sure"

Gail squeezed his hand and kissed him "You worry to much"

"I'm allowed aren't I?" Paul watched as she wheeled the pram away from him. Faintly hearing Lucy say something brought Paul out of his thoughts and he turned back.

"What did you say Munchkin?" he asked

"Where's Gail gone?" Lucy replied

"She's just taken Robert up to her Dad's grave…she'll be back" Paul replied, still looking in the direction that Gail had gone.

Lucy looked at him "Do you miss Mum?" Lucy asked

"Of course I do" Paul said "It got easier with time, but in the beginning it was hard, I can remember sometimes getting home from school, going to find her and then realizing she wasn't there. With time Gran took Mum's place but it wasn't the same. I've thought about her more lately because of Gail's pregnancy. I was scared of losing her the way I lost Mum, but luckily she was okay" he said

"You really love Gail don't you?" Lucy asked

Paul smiled "Of course I do…to be honest I'd be lonely without her…she's my best friend" he said

"Funny...Gail sort of said the same thing about you last night!" Lucy said

"I know I heard" Paul laughed

Lucy looked at him "You were listening to our conversation" she remarked

"I got up to keep Gail company, I woke when I heard her walk out of our room but I heard you two downstairs and thought that you might talk to her more easily if I wasn't there" he said "I just sat on the stairs and listened for a while"

"You always told me never to listen to other people's conversations" Lucy said

Paul laughed "Do as I say and not as I do" he replied "Hey are you ready to go back to the car"

"What about Gail?" Lucy asked

"She'll follow shortly" Paul said

Paul unlocked the car for Lucy, looking back up the hill he realized he didn't want to leave Gail alone any longer, turning to Lucy he said "Hey do you mind staying here while I go and get Gail…I'll put the radio on for you…but don't touch anything okay"

"Sure" she replied

Paul walked back up the cemetery and found Gail still at her Father's grave, quietly he kept his distance but watched her, sadly thinking how lost she looked holding the baby. A couple of minutes later she put the baby back in the pram and turned, seeing Paul she smiled. Paul walked towards her.

"Are you okay?" he asked

Gail smiled "Yes…just a little sad"

Paul put his arm around her and kissed her.

"How's Lucy?" Gail asked

"She's okay…been asking questions about Mum" Paul said "Just at the moment I'm worried about you"

Gail looked at him "Darling I'm fine…just wanted some time on my own with Robert at Dad's grave" she said "Beside Lucy needs you"

Paul sighed and pulled her closer gently kissing her "Just don't shut me out okay" he said

"As if" Gail laughed "You worry too much"

On arriving home, Paul took the baby upstairs for a nap while Gail and Lucy made lunch.

"So what do you want to do this afternoon?" Gail asked Lucy

"Well I was supposed to be going to Emma's for the afternoon, her Mum was going to take us horse riding but I don't know if I want to" Lucy replied

"You should go…I know how much you love horse riding and I don't think moping around here will do any good, I'm sure Paul won't mind taking you and we can pick you up on the way to the hospital tonight" Gail said

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"I wonder who that is" Gail said "Might be your Dad"

"Or Julie" Lucy said

"I think Paul's made his feelings for her clear" Gail said as she went to answer the door, she stopped suddenly when she saw who it was.

"What do you want Julie?" she said coolly

"To see Lucy, she is my sister" Julie replied, as she made a move to step into the house, Gail blocked her entrance.

"Well aren't you going to let me in?" Julie asked surprised

"We're just about to have lunch" Gail said "And after your performance yesterday I'm not sure if Lucy is ready to see you just yet"

"But she's my sister…I have a right to see her, you can't stop me, you're not family, well only by marriage" Julie said dismissively "Don't think you can push your way in to this family and change everything"

Gail looked at her slightly shocked at the outburst but for the first time seeing how insecure Julie was. Paul appeared at the doorway from upstairs, Julie's attitude changed suddenly as she smiled.

"Hello Paul" she said

"What do you want?" Paul replied "If you're here to cause more trouble forget it"

"I just want to talk" Julie said

Paul shook his head "I heard exactly what you said to Gail and I think you should have a serious think about what you said yesterday and until you do and see what damage you caused I don't want anything to do with you" he said

"But…but Lucy has a right to know the truth don't you think?" Julie said

Paul looked at her "Lucy did know the truth…her Mum died when she was a baby …you told her things out of spite and jealousy …you hurt her Julie and it was so unnecessary" he said

"I'm sorry" Julie said "Please can I come in"

"No Julie" Paul replied as he gently closed the door in her face.

He turned and faced Gail "Are you okay?" he said

"Yes…Paul…you were a little bit hard on her don't you think?" Gail said

"Nope…I heard what she said to you and no one speaks to you like that...whether she likes it or not you're part of this family and always will be" Paul said as he pulled her into his arms and hugged her.

Lucy stood watching them "Was that Julie?" she asked

"Yes munchkin" he said stepping back "Lucy do you want to talk to her…she obviously wants to talk to you maybe she wants to apologise"

"Do I have to?" Lucy said

"No but she's still part of this family and at some point you're going to have to talk to her" Paul said

That evening Paul, Gail and Lucy were upstairs bathing the baby, when the doorbell rang. No one made a move to go and answer it, finally Gail rolled her eyes.

"Okay you two can I trust you up here while I go and find out who's at the door" she said, as she left the room and went downstairs. Opening the door Gail smiled when she saw Jim and Helen standing outside.

"Hi" she said "Come in…I thought it might be you"

"How are you?" Jim asked

"I'm fine…we were just bathing Robert, trying to get him in a routine for when Lucinda and Cameron come home." Gail said

"Shall we come back later?" Helen asked

"No it's fine…I think I can trust that husband of mine to take care of our son" Gail said "They should be down soon"

"How's Lucy?" Jim asked

"I'm not sure…we talked to her last night, she spent the morning with us and then went to Emma's this afternoon, they went horse riding which cheered her up" Gail said

"Gail I'm sorry, the last thing I wanted was to put added pressure on you two. " Jim said "In fact we were supposed to be helping you with the triplets this Christmas not entertaining Julie and her family"

"Its fine" Gail said "Paul and I are managing at the moment. Lucy isn't that much trouble, she helps me keep him in line" Gail laughed

Meanwhile Paul and Lucy finished tidying upstairs.

"Come on let's go downstairs" Paul said scooping Robert up.

"Was that Dad at the door?" Lucy said

"Yes...he wants to see you" Paul said "Come on Lucy he hasn't done anything wrong. He loves you"

"I'm going to stay up here" Lucy said "I don't want to see him yet"

"Lucy…"

"Please Paul…I'll be fine, I'm just not ready to talk to him" Lucy said

Paul looked at her knowing that she wasn't going to go anywhere with him "Okay…but you need to talk to him at some point" he said

As Paul came downstairs with Robert he greeted Helen and Jim

"Where's Lucy?" Gail asked

"Upstairs…I tried to make her come downstairs but…I don't know" Paul said

"Shall I go up and talk to her?" Jim asked "Try and clear the air"

"Leave her alone for a while" Gail said "She might come down on her own; I'm going to make a drink"

Paul handed the baby to Helen and went to help Gail in the kitchen. Jim and Helen cooed over the baby, silently wondering if Lucy would ever talk to them again, after putting the drinks on the coffee table, Gail said she was going to take a drink up to Lucy.

"Thought you said to leave her to come down on her own" Paul said protesting

"I did…I'm just going to give her a drink that's all" Gail said

Gail knocked on Lucy's bedroom door and opened it slightly.

"Hey" she said "Thought you might like a drink"

"I guess you're going to try and persuade me to go downstairs as well" Lucy said

Gail laughed "Would I dare….beside you're too much like your brother" she said

"No I'm not" Lucy replied

"Yes you are…you're both so stubborn" Gail said "Once you dig your heels in neither one of you can be moved"

Lucy laughed

"It's true" Gail said "Although I always find that if I'm careful I can get Paul to do what I want, I just have to make him think it's his idea. Don't tell him I told you though. So tell me why you won't come downstairs, it's lonely up here"

"I just prefer it up here…not sure I want to talk to Dad yet" Lucy said

"Luce…your Dad loves you, you know that" Gail said "Don't shut him out…he desperately wants to talk to you…why do you think he came here tonight"

"To see Robert" Lucy replied

"Luce…don't be so hard on your Dad, please" Gail said "Look I almost disowned my Dad when I found out I was adopted. I hurt him really badly but with Paul's help I realized that I was over reacting, and that the reason he couldn't' tell me was because he didn't want to lose me, that he was scared if I knew the truth I wouldn't love him"

"But you did" Lucy said

"Of course I did but I was angry because I felt I had been lied to" Gail said "And now he's no longer here and I miss him terribly"

"You've still got your real Dad" Lucy said

Gail sadly shook her head "No…you see he was my real Dad, he was the one who was always there for me" she said "Lucy...the only thing your Father has ever done is love you; he's protected you, kept you safe and did everything that he could for you. After your operation he's the one, who stayed up all night with you, the whole family were scared that they were going to lose you"

"All except Julie" Lucy said

"She's one person, besides I think the problem with her is she's jealous" Gail said "You're no longer her little sister…you are your own person with a mind of your own and she can't boss you around anymore"

"I heard what she said to you" Lucy said

Gail laughed "It's not important, she can think what she likes" she said "So are you going to come downstairs with me or not?"

Lucy laughed "You did come up here to get me to go downstairs" she said

Gail smiled "No I didn't, I just came up here to talk" she said

Lucy sighed "Okay I'll come downstairs" she said "But you owe me!"

Gail laughed "And you say you're not like your brother" she said

Gail returned downstairs and gently placed her hand on Paul's shoulder as she sat on the arm of his chair. Seconds later Lucy followed her and stopped by the desk. Jim and Helen looked up startled as they had almost given up hope of her coming downstairs that night. Jim was speechless and didn't know where to start.


	8. Chapter 8

**Once again thanks to Mills for her help with the visual aspect of things :)**

"Hello" they said

Lucy looked at them and then at Paul.

"Hello" she said quietly

Gail picked up the empty mugs from the coffee table and gestured for Paul to help her in the kitchen.

Jim looked at Lucy "I've missed you Lucy" he said

Lucy just looked at him not saying a word, her eyes drifted to the baby in Helen's arms.

"I was searching through the garage this afternoon and found some things of your Mother's, and I found something that might help make you feel closer to your Mum and understand things better" Jim said

"What is it?" Lucy asked

Jim handed her the book "It's the diary your Mum wrote when she was pregnant with you" he said

"Why don't you take it Lucy" Helen said "You might find it interesting"

Lucy slowly reached out taking the diary and said she was going to sit out the back for a while.

Jim and Helen watched her go, Jim turned to Helen "Do you think I should follow her?" he said

Helen smiled "Might be a good idea" she replied

Lucy wandered outside holding the diary tightly and sat on the step, looking up at the window she saw Gail watching her and smiled. Jim came out and Lucy pushed up so that he could sit down beside her.

"Why didn't you tell me the truth?"

"We told you what we thought you needed to know, I felt the rest would hurt you." Jim said "Lucy I love you.. you've always been my special little girl and nothing will change that"

"But Julie told me that you didn't want me" Lucy said

"I know Julie hurt you with what she said, but hopefully the diary will give you some answers that will explain how your Mum and I felt. Please read it" Jim said

"Okay"

They were interrupted by the sound of crying inside. Lucy looked up at the window.

"Robert" she laughed

"Sounds like someone needs feeding" Jim said "Shall we go and see what all the commotion is about"

"Gail says he's just like Paul…greedy" Lucy laughed

"She has a point" Jim said agreeing

As they entered the kitchen Gail looked at her and handed her the bottle of milk.

"Robert wants you to feed him" she said "Why don't you go and sit in Paul's chair"

Gail took the baby from Helen and gently placed him in Lucy's arms. "Just remember to take it slowly" she said.

"So have you two heard when the other two babies are definitely coming home" Helen asked

"Not yet…hopefully they'll tell us tomorrow but it shouldn't be too long. I think Cameron is ready to come home it just depends on Lucinda" Paul said

"If you need any help you know where we are" Jim said

"You might regret saying that Jim. Just hope the neighbours have sound proofing as it might get a bit noisy" Gail said

Paul looked at the baby in Lucy's arms and gently stroked his face "This one has been really good, he seems to have settled in nicely" he said

Later that evening after Jim and Helen had left and Lucy had gone to bed, Paul made some coffee while Gail sat on the sofa, the baby lay asleep in the basinet.

"Peace at last!" he said sitting down next to Gail

Gail didn't reply and Paul looked at her.

"Hey where are you?" he asked

She looked at him and laughed "Oh sorry I was miles away…just thinking"

"Do you want to share?" Paul said pulling her closer to him

Gail looked at him "I was just thinking how cruel life can be to people at times, like your Mum and Dad and Des and Daphne"

"I know" Paul said "It makes you even more glad for the things you have and makes you more determined to hold on to them"

Gail laughed "Just hold on to that thought matey" she said

Paul looked at her "I'm not sure that Des will ever get over losing Daphne" he said

Gail looked over at the baby in the basinet and smiled "We're just lucky…we've got three healthy babies, I can't believe how far we've come in two years" she said

Paul kissed her "But you've been through a lot during that time. I don't ever want to lose this…what we have now, I turn cold every time I think of how close I came to losing you" he said

Gail looked at him, smiling "But you didn't" she said "These past few weeks you've more than proved how committed you are to me and our children. The Robinson Corporation seems to have taken a back seat"

"Well with Rosemary here, I don't have to worry about it, and we have new staff in the office. Which reminds me at some point I suppose I should go in and see them" Paul said

"Well you are the boss" Gail laughed

"Maybe we can pop in before Lucinda and Cameron come home" Paul said "Take Robert with us"

"We'll see" Gail said "Darling I know at some point you're going to have to go into the office and I understand that…all I want is for it not to consume you like it has in the past"

"Oh hey I also wanted to say thank you for being there for me and Lucy these past few days, especially with everything else that's happening" Paul said

"That's what I'm here for" Gail said "We're a team remember"

"I know but it's not that long since your Dad died and then there are the babies…" Paul said

"And you've been with me every step of the way…which is all I ever wanted" Gail said "Besides you know how fond I am of Lucy"

"By the way how did you get her to come downstairs tonight?" Paul asked

"I told her how I felt about my Dad after I found out I was adopted, that I told him he wasn't my Father and I didn't want anything to do with him but you made me realize that I was over reacting" Gail said ""Lucy also reminded me that I still have my 'real Dad'"

Paul looked at her but remained silent, not wanting to interrupt her.

"Maybe it's the babies but I see things slightly different now, Ian was my biological Father but that doesn't necessarily make him my real Father. Rob was always there for me, he was the one that knew me all my life" Gail said

"Yeah. Hey come on it's time for bed for you, let's get this little one settled down for the night" Paul said getting up and taking Gail's hand to help her up.

The following morning Paul was up early feeding Robert, allowing Gail to have a lie in as he knew she was tired. He walked down the driveway with Robert to fetch the newspaper and glanced towards No.26; he saw Julie and her family driving away, nodding to her as they passed he was curious as to where they were going at this time of morning. Looking at the baby in his arms, he smiled and headed back to the house. Lucy was busy in the kitchen putting the breakfast things on the table and Gail was just coming downstairs as Paul walked in. As he closed the door Gail reached the bottom step,

"Why didn't you wake me?" Gail asked

Paul smiled and kissed her "Good morning to you too" He laughed "I thought I would give you a lay in"

Paul placed the baby in the basinet and together the couple walked to the kitchen. Lucy looked at them both.

"The toast is in the toaster and there's some cereal on the table" she said pointing as she did so

"Okay thanks" Paul said surprised at her efficiency and cheeriness "How are you today?"

"I'm fine…I read Mum's diary last night, it's on the coffee table just in case you wanted to read it" she said to Paul

"Maybe later" Paul replied, not really sure whether he did

"Did you find some answers in it?" Paul asked

"Sort of" Lucy said

"I've just seen Julie drive off…maybe you could go and see Dad and Gran this morning" Paul said

"Maybe" Lucy replied thoughtfully

Gail and Paul smiled at each other and raised their eyebrows in hope

"But I'm not going home while Julie's here" Lucy remarked

"That's fine" Gail said "We're probably going to hear when Lucinda and Cameron can come home today, so your help will be appreciated"

"Can I come with you to the hospital?" Lucy asked

"Munchkin I think you should go and see Dad and Gran today, don't worry we're give you a key and you can come back here if Julie returns" Paul said

After breakfast was cleared away Lucy dressed, Gail went back to bed, leaving Paul with Robert. Checking that the baby was still happy in the basinet he went and sat down on the sofa and picked up the diary, casually flicking through it.

Jim sat alone in the living room. Beverley and Helen had gone shopping and Philip and Julie had taken the children out early. Picking up the box on the coffee table, he flicked through the contents finally picking up the small ring box, opening it he smiled as he saw Anne's engagement ring, still in perfect condition. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door, getting up he went to answer it.

"Rosemary" he said surprised to see her. "I thought you'd be at work now"

Rosemary laughed "No not yet…just thought I'd come and see Mum" she said

"You've just missed her..she's out shopping with Beverley" Jim said

"Nevermind, I'll catch up with her tonight instead" Rosemary said

"While you're here would you like a coffee?" Jim asked

"Sure" Rosemary said as she sat down in the lounge

"I was just going through some of Anne's things" Jim said from the kitchen

"How are you feeling?" she asked as Jim returned with the coffee.

Jim sighed "Oh I'm fine….just hope we can sort this problem with Lucy out, I gave her Anne's diary to look at last night..I thought it might help her understand some of what was happening at the time" he said "I still can't believe what Julie said to her"

"How do you feel about Julie?" Rosemary said tentatively

Jim started to tidy away the papers back in to the box "She's always been difficult, loved to boss us all around but basically I think she's a good person" he said

"That's not what I meant Jim" Rosemary said studying the look on his face

Jim looked at her but said nothing

"Oh come on, Anne and I were so much more than sisters we were best friends, we didn't have secrets. She told me the truth about Julie and what happened with Roger Bannon" Rosemary said

"It's ironic really isn't it" Jim said "I persuaded Anne to keep that baby, told her I would bring it up as my own but pleaded with her later with Lucy"

"They were different circumstances" Rosemary said "The sad thing is I know Anne wanted another daughter, she wanted the same closeness she had with Mum with her own daughter. She always felt distant from Julie"

"I know" Jim said "And I can understand why, I always thought that was some of Anne in Julie but after what she did to Lucy I can't see it"

"What are you going to do?" Rosemary asked

"I can't do anything, nothing has changed she is still my 'daughter'" Jim said "I made a promise to Anne that Julie would never know about her real parentage and I won't betray that promise"

Jim picked up the tiny box and took out the engagement ring. Rosemary watched him, turning to her he asked

"How long do you think you'll be staying over here?" Jim said

"As long as I'm needed" Rosemary said "Paul doesn't seem in a hurry to get back into work"

"He's changed; maybe Gail walking out on him shook him up and made him realize how much he was risking by working so much. I know how happy they both seem at the moment" Jim said, laughing slightly "Anne adored him"

"I know" Rosemary laughed "When she was pregnant with Julie, things were really bad for her, you and her were not on speaking terms, she concentrated on Paul…as a baby he almost sensed how much she needed him"

"I never realized how much losing Anne affected him" Jim said "He's always kept his emotions hidden but seeing Gail pregnant brought back memories of Anne being pregnant with Lucy. I think one of the reasons he put so much energy into the business and didn't spend time with Gail was because he was scared of what might happen to her, he feared he would lose her like he lost his Mum"

"They seem to have put their differences aside though, they seem to be very happy together" Rosemary said "In fact they seem really close, they're not only coping with the babies but they've also made time to look after Lucy"

"I never thought I would say this but Paul is the one who reminds me most of Anne. He's done everything he can to save his marriage, stepping back from the business while he concentrates on his family." Jim said, looking down at the ring in his hand "And I think this engagement ring belongs to him"

"It's what Anne would have wanted. However isn't that going to cause more problems with Julie, after all I presume she expects to get that ring" Rosemary said reaching out to take the box and look at the ring

"I'll find something else for her" Jim said

Rosemary looked at her watch and seeing the time she finished her coffee.

"I better get to the office. Can you let Mum know I dropped by" she said

During the journey to the hospital Gail noticed that Paul was quiet.

"Hey are you okay?"

"Yes fine" Paul said as he got the car seat out.

"Did you read the diary? I noticed it was on the coffee table" Gail asked

"Yes it brought back memories of Mum and I was just thinking about her"

Gail smiled and reached for his hand "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Maybe later" Paul said gently kissing her forehead "Let's go and see our children"

After leaving the hospital the couple made a detour to Lassiters, where Paul went into the Office while Gail looked after Robert and chatted to Rosemary. Lucy was already home when they returned.

"When did you get back?" Paul asked

"About half an hour ago" Lucy said

"Has Julie come back then?" Paul asked

"No I just wanted to come back and see you" Lucy said "Dad said that Philip has taken Julie and the children out for the day"

"Well we've got some good news" Gail said as she sat down "Lucinda and Cameron can come home on Monday"

"That's great, I can help look after Robert for you" Lucy said "Why don't you let me cook dinner to celebrate and say thank you for letting me stay here"

Paul laughed "What's for dinner then" he said

"Spaghetti!" Lucy said

"I should have guessed" Gail laughed "Well I think I'll feed this little one before he screams the place down"

After warming the bottle, Gail went and sat by Paul on the sofa feeding Robert.

"So what's bothering you" Gail asked nudging him

Paul looked at Lucy in the kitchen and then back at Gail. "I'm fine…just the diary brought back memories of that year, in some of the entries she sounds really sad and tired, there's also entries where she talks about arguing with Dad" he said "The funny thing is I don't remember those arguments but Julie does"

"Maybe you shut it out" Gail said looking at Lucy

"No but the entries after that she talks about how they both agree that they want the baby but just scared at what could happen" Paul said "Dad wanted Lucy I know he did, she's always been special to him"

Gail laughed "Fathers and daughters" she said "I can't wait to see you with ours"

Paul gently kissed her "She'll be just like you Mrs Robinson…able to twist me around her little finger"

There conversation was interrupted by Lucy calling them for dinner. Robert had already fallen asleep on Gail's shoulder so she gently placed him in the basinet. After finishing their meal Paul and Lucy washed up while Gail sorted some laundry in the lounge.

"So what do you want to do this evening?" Paul asked Lucy

"Well Gran did mention something about some baby clothes she saw whilst shopping with Beverley this morning. She wanted me to ask if Gail and I could go shopping with her as she wants to buy something for them." Lucy said

"What and leave me all alone here" Paul said

"No you will have Robert" Lucy laughed

"I think you better ask Gail and see what she says" Paul replied

Lucy walked in to the living room with Paul following her whilst drying his hands.

"Gail, Gran wants to buy some clothes for the babies but wants to be sure you like them, would you come with us before the shops shut?" Lucy asked

Gail looked at Paul "Well what about Paul and Robert" she said

"Don't worry I can look after Robert, besides I have some paperwork that I promised I would do for Rosemary" Paul said

"Okay" Gail said "I could do with getting some Christmas presents as well"

After Lucy and Gail had left for the shops, Paul checked on Robert in the basinet and moved it next to the desk so he could keep an eye on him. Fifteen minutes later the doorbell rang, Paul sighed and put down his pen, and went to open the door, slightly relieved at the interruption

"Hi Dad" he said

"Do you want a coffee?" Paul said

"Sure" Jim replied "I hear you have been deserted"

"Yes, apart from Robert, you saw Gail and Lucy then" Paul replied "I've been trying to do some paperwork but can't seem to concentrate"

Jim walked over to the basinet and peeked inside, smiling "This one is so good" he said

"Sure is…only really cries when he wants feeding and changing" Paul said "Just hope the other two are as good"

"Any news about when they're coming home?" Jim asked

"Monday" Paul said enthusiastically, as he placed the coffee mugs on the table.

"Are you all set then?" Jim asked

"As much as any person can be for three newborn babies!" exclaimed Paul laughing

Jim hesitated before continuing "I was going through your Mother's things this morning and found something that I thought you might like to have" he said, handing Paul the small box

Paul opened it and was slightly shocked "Mum's engagement ring…I always thought you would give this to Julie or Lucy" he said

"No I figured your Mum would have wanted you to have it, I'll find something else for Julie and Lucy" Jim said

Paul laughed slightly "It's funny I never brought Gail an engagement ring, I just presented her with a blank cheque and told her to choose one" he said "Now I have a real engagement ring that will mean something more, something personal and will let her know how special she is to me"

"It's for you to do whatever you want with" Jim said

"Thanks Dad" Paul said

"How is Gail?" Jim asked

"She's fine…a bit tired" Paul said

"Just make sure you look after her, and do your fair share with the babies after all you're their Father" Jim said

"Hardly likely to forget that am I!" Paul laughed, glancing at the basinet "Speaking of which, I had a letter from New Zealand yesterday"

"What from Nina and Amy?" Jim asked

"Yeah. Nina was writing because her husband wants to adopt Amy" Paul replied

"How do you feel about that?" Jim asked

"Well, my name is not on the birth certificate so I can't do much about it" Paul replied shrugging his shoulders

"But you're still her Father" Jim said

"Sure I'm her biological Father but do I really have the right to be called her Father. I don't know but since the triplets were born and especially since Robert came home I've realized that there's more to Fatherhood than genes. Sure I could fight Nina but why deprive Amy of a real Father. Let's face it to be a real Father to Amy I would have to go and see her in New Zealand regularly but that would mean spending time away from Gail and the triplets and I don't want to do that. If Nina had her way I still wouldn't have known about Amy. Just look how upset Gail was in case my feelings for Amy affected my relationship with our children."

"You can't just give up on her like that Paul" Jim stated adamantly

"No it's strange how it's turned out, the triplets and Gail are the most important things in my life, I watched those three children being born, I've fed them and changed them. Even though we went through a lot to have them, Gail more so, I can't honestly say I feel the same for Amy as I do for the triplets. I think the best thing I can do is let Nina's husband adopt her and give her the Father she deserves, but I want to do this correctly, and she will still have the trust fund I set up for her still" Paul said

"Have you spoken to Gail about this?" Jim asked unsure of his son's decision

"Not yet but I will" Paul replied "She has enough to deal with at the moment"

"Just hope you've thought it all through" Jim said

Paul laughed "Don't worry Dad, I never do anything without thinking it through first"

The next few days passed quickly, Monday morning the couple went to the hospital to pick up Lucinda and Cameron; they dropped Lucy off at Emma's house on the way. After saying goodbye to all the nurses and collecting everything from the hospital nursery they arrived home with the triplets all together for the first time.

Gail walked first into Number 22 carrying Robert in the car seat, placing it on the floor next to the coffee table she sat on the sofa, Robert hadn't stirred since leaving the hospital, Paul struggled in the door and placed Lucinda and Cameron's car seats next to Robert's before going to shut the door. Gail lent forward and made sure the blankets were covering the babies as Paul sat down beside her, both of them silent for a while.

Paul put his arm around Gail "Hey what are you thinking?" he asked

Gail turned and looked at him and he saw the tears in her eyes as she laughed

Pulling her closer and laughing with her, he wiped the tears from her face "Hey what's wrong, this is supposed to be a happy occasion" he laughed

"I know" Gail laughed "I just never dreamt I could be this happy, I don't know why I'm crying…guess it must be hormones"

"I feel the same way" Paul said "You and the children mean the whole world to me, nothing else matters as long as I have you"

Gail laughed "I'll hold you to that when I'm waking you for help with the 3am feeds" she said

Paul smiled, reaching into his jacket pocket "I almost forgot I've got something for you" he said holding out the small ring box.

Gail looked at him hesitantly before taking the box from his palm.

She opened the box "Paul it's beautiful" she said

Paul took hold of her left hand, and removed the engagement ring from it. "I never did get you a real engagement ring, it's about time I changed that" he said

"You didn't have to, we can't afford this" Gail said

"Ah but to me this is priceless to me, it is more special" Paul said "You see it was my Mum's"

Gail looked at Paul "Oh Paul, are you sure?"

"do you really have to ask me that!"

"I love you so much" she said "More than you will ever realize"

"That's good then as I love you too" Paul replied "And there's no one else I'd sooner see wearing this ring" as he held her hands and kissed her gently.

They were interrupted as Lucinda started to stir from her sleep. They both laughed knowing that this was only the beginning of what was to come.


	9. Chapter 9

The next few days were filled with looking after the triplets and trying to get them into a routine, Christmas was only four days away but the Robinsons were silently looking forward to the day it would be over and Julie would be returning home. Tensions were at boiling point with Julie's constant sniping at Paul and Gail's approach to parenthood, and how much fuss was being made of them.

"Do we really have to go to Dad's for lunch?" Lucy complained as she sat cradling Robert in her arms.

Paul looked up from folding the washing and looked at his sister "Afraid so Munchkin, I promised him we'd make an effort to be friendly with Julie before Christmas"

"Gail doesn't want to go either" Lucy remarked "I don't see why we have to be nice to her when she's still being horrible to us"

"She's jealous Lucy….she can't stand the thought of anyone getting more attention than her" Paul said as he put the clothes aside to get up.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of crying upstairs.

"Those two aren't as good as this little one" Lucy exclaimed

"They're just taking a little more time to get adjusted to not being in the hospital. The problem is Robert is picking up their mood as well…he's kind of lost his routine at the moment" Paul said

Lucy smiled "Nah he's cute" she said

Paul looked at the baby in Lucy's arms and laughed "We're not playing favourites with these three Luce…don't forget that" he said

"I'm not playing favourites" Lucy said "But this one doesn't make as much noise as those two"

"I'm going upstairs to see what's wrong, in fact why don't you put Robert in the basinet and go and get ready" Paul said

"Do I have to?" Lucy asked

Paul nodded his head "The sooner we go the sooner we can come back"

Paul walked upstairs and into the nursery where the two babies were crying, Gail sat in the rocking chair her eyes closed. Paul knelt down beside her concerned.

"Darling what's wrong?" he asked

Gail opened her eyes and looked at him "These two…whatever I do isn't right, they won't settle, even when I pick them up they continue to scream." She said "Where's Robert?"

"He's in the basinet downstairs" Paul said

"I feel hopeless…I can't connect to them, I just don't know what to do to make them happy" she said

Paul walked over to one of the cots and gently picked up Lucinda, gently he talked to her and she seemed to respond to his voice, slowly she stopped crying. Gail looked at him and shook her head.

"Maybe I should just leave and let you get on with it" she said "You and Lucy are so much better at this than I am"

"Don't you even think about it. Gail you're tired and stressed, the babies are picking up your moods and that's why they're unsettled, just try and relax and I'm sure thing will get better." Paul said "Come on let's get ready, these two seem to have settled down"

An hour later Paul, Gail and Lucy arrived in the kitchen of number 26 where Helen and Jim were sat talking. Jim got up and sneaked a look at the babies who were sleeping in their car seats.

"So how are my favourite grandchildren today?" he asked

Paul laughed "Asleep at last" he replied

"Don't let Julie hear you say that" Gail said "It will be another thing for her to comment about"

Julie walked into the kitchen "Did I hear my name" she asked, as she walked over to the babies, looking at Gail she sighed "Well motherhood doesn't really seem to suit you much, you look worn out, funny I never had that problem with Hannah, mind you she was an excellent baby"

Paul rolled his eyes and looked at Gail, reaching out to hold her hand to squeeze it for reassurance; he knew what was going through her mind.

"Why don't you two take the babies into Helen's room and then come and sit in the sitting room" Jim said to change the subject.

Lucy stayed in the kitchen with Helen, Julie tried to make conversation but Lucy blanked her. Meanwhile as the babies were settled Gail sat on the bed with her head in her hands, Paul sat down beside her and pulled her into an embrace.

"Come on…it will get better I promise you" he said

"It not just the babies, it's Julie, she just doesn't like me for some reason. Paul I don't think she's happy that you gave me your mum's ring" Gail said "Scott and Lucy made me feel like part of this family from the beginning, but Julie, she's constantly reminding me that I'm only family because I'm married to you"

"Don't listen to her…look in a week's time she'll be gone and things will go back to normal" Paul said "Come on let's leave these three to sleep"

Gail stood up and Paul took her hand, turning to face her he said "Hey, before we leave this room can I have a smile"

Gail looked at him and smiled slightly, Paul pulled her into his arms and held her tightly "It will be okay I promise" he said

Paul put his arm around Gail and they walked out of the bedroom together, both glancing back to check that the babies were okay. As they walked back into the sitting room, Jim looked at the couple with concern; they both looked stressed and tired.

"So how are things going?" he asked

"Fine" Paul said "Just don't know how three babies can keep you so busy" laughing light heartedly

"Yeah well the sooner you get them into a routine, the sooner everyone will be able to get some sleep around here" Julie remarked "They woke us up at 3am this morning and Hannah didn't get back to sleep"

"You try looking after three babies at the same time" Paul remarked with a firmer edge to his voice

Helen brought in some coffee and placed it on the coffee table "You two are coming for Christmas day aren't you?" she asked

Paul looked at Lucy and smiled "I think so" he said

They sat drinking and chatting for a while, when Paul noticed Gail's head getting heavy on his shoulder.

"Hey wake up sleepy head" he said, gently kissing her forehead.

Gail opened her eyes and smiled "I'm sorry" she said

Julie laughed "If you can't stand the heat, maybe you should have kept out of the kitchen" she said looking at Gail

"What?" Paul said

"Well come on" Julie said "It's obvious that Gail isn't coping with motherhood"

Gail looked at her "And you're the expert are you?" she said

"All I'm saying is that if you hadn't played with nature you wouldn't be in this position, after all nature obviously didn't intend for you to have children" Julie replied

Paul shot Julie a look of disgust "Julie when you have 3 six week old babies to look after I'll ask for your opinion" he said

Jim looked across at Gail and saw the look of distress on her face.

"Julie you can just stop it now" he said "You're not helping"

The conversation was interrupted by the sound of one of the babies; Gail quickly got up and walked into the bedroom.

"You just can't help yourself can you Jules" Paul stated in a strained voice.

Gail was already picking the baby up as Paul entered the bedroom, she gave a weak smile.

Paul walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulder "Do you want to go home?" he asked

Gail looked at him and kissed him "Paul, I really need to get out of here" she said quietly

"That's fine…" he said

"Darling I need some time on my own" she said as she laid Robert down on the bed to change him.

Paul looked at her concerned "Listen, forget what Julie said, she's not important" he said

He checked on the two other babies, finding them still asleep he suggested they go back into the sitting room. Gail picked up her handbag.

"Don't look so worried" she smiled "I just can't cope with snide comments from you sister at the moment, I need some space"

"I don't want you to go" Paul said "You're upset"

Gail kissed him "I'll be okay" she said as they walked back into the sitting room, after saying goodbye to Jim and Helen, Gail walked out. Paul was torn between going after her and giving her the space she needed. Sitting back down he looked at Julie, his anger consumed him.

"I don't know what all that was about" Julie said to Helen "Seems really rude to be honest, leaving like that"

Paul shook his head "You don't know what it's about…you've been making snide remarks since we got here" he said

"I have not, I've simply been trying to help you both" Julie argued

Paul rolled his eyes "If that's what you call helping, I pity any of your family Julie. You shouldn't go stickybeaking where it's not wanted" he said "And how exactly were you helping by saying that nature never intended Gail to have children, how are you helping by saying that Gail is only part of this family because she married me"

"I'm only stating the truth" Julie protested.

"Well let me give you some truths Julie, if it's a choice between Gail and this family, Gail will win every time" he said sitting forward and raising his voice "Julie I have no interest in your opinions, this family has managed without you for the last four years, so keep you thoughts to yourself and stay away from my family. I've had enough of you to last me a lifetime" he said, getting up he walked to the door. Helen followed him outside.

Paul stopped on the driveway of No.26 not knowing what to do next. Helen placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Where are you going?" she asked

He turned to face her and she noticed the tears in his eyes.

"To find Gail, but God knows where she's gone in the state she was in" he said "Gran I'm scared what if she decides she doesn't want to come back" he said

Helen hugged him "She loves you and those babies, of course she'll come back" she said

"Where is she Gran?" Paul said

"Think what's she's been through these past few weeks, where do you think she'd go when she wants to be alone" Helen said

Paul looked at her "The cemetery" he said "I should have guessed, this has been building up for a while, damn Julie and her spiteful comments"

"Don't worry about her now, Gail is more important, we'll look after the triplets" Helen said

"What about Lucy?" Paul said

"Lucy will be fine…just go and find Gail" Helen said

Helen watched as Paul left, she waited until he drove away before she went back inside.

She shook her head in disgust when she saw Julie smirking.

Jim looked at her and said "Is he okay?"

Helen shook her head "Not really, he's concerned Gail might not come back; she was so upset when she left"

"Like I said before if she can't handle the pressure of motherhood she should never have gone with the IVF" Julie said

Jim glared at her "Julie I have just about had enough of you and your smart comments, from the minute you came here you've been making snide remarks about both Paul and Gail and not happy with that you have to upset Lucy as well, I tell you something your mum would be ashamed of you, and just at this precise moment in time I'm not that proud to say you're my daughter" he said

Rosemary shot him a look, silently pleading with him not to say anything he might regret.

"That's not fair…I've only been trying to help" Julie said

"If that's what you call helping I hate to see you being unhelpful…you're jealous, Paul's right this family has survived without you for four years and you can't take that" Jim said angrily.

"That's right stick up for Paul and Lucy after all they've always been the favourites around here, Scott and I never got a look in" Julie moaned

"That's not fair, we treated you all the same, and don't bring Scott into this" Jim said

"Mum preferred Paul and then after Lucy was born you were always busy with her" Julie said

Jim looked at Lucy "I don't know how you can be jealous of your sister" he said

"I don't know why I came back," Julie said "I should have known you wouldn't have been interested in your granddaughter…you sure as hell never made an effort to come and see her"

"Let's face it Julie, you never once came down here after she was born, in fact even when your sister was ill you didn't bother to visit" Jim said

"That's not fair dad, Phil was busy at work and I couldn't leave the children" Julie protested "I thought we could all have a nice Christmas together this year, the whole family back together as it was years ago"

"We could have…except you had to ruin things with your snide remarks, whether you like it or not Gail is part of this family and nothing you say or do will ever change that" Jim said

Julie rolled her eyes "Paul's relationships never last, he's not capable of loving anyone" she said "And Gail isn't the easiest person to get to know"

"That's because you're always horrible to her" Lucy said

Julie spun around and looked at Lucy "You know one of the reasons, she probably not happy is because not only does she have the triplets to contend with but you too." She said "I put up with you because you're family but she doesn't have to, I bet she'll be glad when you move back in here"

"Julie that's enough!" Jim said standing up in anger

"Maybe I should just go home and leave you too it" Julie said

Jim sighed "To be honest after all the trouble you've caused maybe that would be best"

"Thanks a lot dad, I'll start packing and we can leave as soon as Phil gets back with the children" Julie replied, storming off in the direction of the bedroom.

"Lucy…Julie is jealous, ignore her, she can't stand the fact that her little sister is all grown up" Jim said

Meanwhile Paul found Gail at her father's graveside, shaking his head and silently cursing his elder sister he walked up beside her, gently putting his hand on her back, he pulled her closer to him.

"Shh" he said trying to calm her silent tears.

"Paul I don't think I can take anymore" she said

"Hey come on this isn't the Gail I know and love" he said "I love you so much and we can get through this together"

"I don't know if I can, I wanted these children so much but now they're here I feel hopeless, I can't calm them when they cry and I just feel so tired all the time" she said

"Darling in six months time, we'll look back at this time and laugh at how we thought we couldn't' cope" Paul said "Look at what we had to go through to get this far, the early mornings at the clinics, the injections, the disappointments and we've survived. This is what we both wanted, you're the only person I've truly loved enough to have children with, I realise that now, and you're the only person I want to share the ups and downs of life with"

Gail looked at her father's grave and sighed.

"I miss him so much Paul" she said

Paul looked at her "I know you do, more than anyone can imagine, I guess having children makes you see things differently" he smiled "I know I can never replace your dad but I will always be here for you if you let me"

Gail turned to look at him "You mean that don't you" she said

"More than you could ever realise" Paul said "As I said before you went through hell to give us these children…no one has ever done anything like that for me before, I love you so much. You gave me a fright when Lucinda was born, call it a wake up call, because I saw what happened to my mum almost happen to you and it scared me, nothing is more important to me than you, I love you so much"

Paul wiped away the tears from her eyes and cheeks.

"So will you come home and rest, whilst the children stay with dad and gran for another couple of hours Mrs Robinson?"

"Are you cooking tea?" Gail asked "I didn't eat much at lunchtime"

Paul laughed "I noticed" he said "Well at a push maybe I can rustle something up"

"Hmm maybe I need to keep an eye on you in the kitchen" she said

"Nope…I'll run you a bath and then you can relax" he said

Gail took one last look at her father's grave then turned away; Paul put his arm around her and led her to the car park. When they reached the cars he looked at her.

"Do you want me to drive and we can leave your car here, I can come back later with dad to collect it" he said

Gail shook her head "No, I'll be fine"

Paul hesitated not really wanting her to drive "Okay…if you're sure but I'll follow behind you" he said "If you feel tired just stop,"

Gail smiled "Don't worry" she said kissing him gently on the lips "I'm fine…I just needed some time to myself"

Paul kissed her "Drive safely" he said

Throughout the drive home she checked the rear view mirror and saw that Paul was following close behind, smiling to herself she suddenly felt a sense of calm, she and Paul finally had what they always wanted, she knew the first few months would be difficult but she had Paul and these past few weeks he had proved how he would be there for her…loving her, comforting her and protecting her. When she drove into the driveway of No 22, she looked in the rear view mirror to see Paul pull up behind her. As she stood beside her car she looked at Paul who smiled as he parked, closing her car door she waited for him to walk up to her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, gently kissing her on the lips and stroking her cheek

"Fine, really" she replied

"So what do you want for dinner?" he asked "Make it simple as you know what my cooking's like"

Gail smiled "Well there's some spaghetti in the fridge that just needs warming up" she said

"You sure?" Paul asked

"Mmm" she said as walked towards the front door, as she got inside she stopped suddenly and turned to face Paul taking his hand.

"What's wrong" Paul asked

Gail looked at him and smiled, planting a kiss on his cheek "Thank you" she said

"Well I don't know what I did to deserve that but I guess I should do it more often" he said

Gail smiled and hugged him "You know why" she said

"Right why don't you go and have a soak, while I go and check on our offspring, then I will make us some dinner" Paul said kissing her "I'll see if Gran and Beverley mind having them for a little longer"

"Okay" Gail said as she wandered upstairs

Paul went into the kitchen to check what was in the fridge for dinner before heading out, calling goodbye to Gail he went over to No 26. As Paul opened the door to No. 26, he saw the suitcases scattered in the middle of the living room and Julie throwing clothes into them.

"What's going on?" he asked

Julie turned and glared at him "And you can stay out of it too"

Paul looked gobsmacked "What wrong with her?" he asked Helen

Helen sighed "Your sister has decided to return home" she replied.

Julie turned on Paul "Yes thanks to you, your wife and my darling sister over there I'm no longer welcome here" she said

Paul looked at her "I don't want an argument Jules, but as far as I can see you only have yourself to blame. Have a safe journey home" he said

Helen looked at the mess in the living room "Paul why don't we go into the kitchen" she said "Let Julie sort all her things in peace"

Paul followed her into the kitchen, Helen turned to him "That was very generous and restrained of you Paul, especially after everything she's said these past few weeks" Helen said

Paul smiled and shrugged his shoulders "I've got more important things to worry about" he said

"How is Gail?" Helen asked

"She seems a little brighter, she's having a bath and I'm going to make her something to eat" Paul replied "By the way can the babies stay here a little longer, I just want Gail to rest for a bit"

"That's fine, Lucy can help with them" Helen said "We can bring them back in a couple of hours, give you two some time alone"

"Thanks Gran, I'll go and check on them and see that you have everything you need" Paul said

Julie stood in the living room as Paul passed to go into the bedroom "Huh" she said "Typical leave your children here while you go out and have fun"

Paul turned and looked at her, shaking his head he sighed and walked into the bedroom without saying a word.

"Julie do you really have to keep having a go at him" Helen said "Haven't you caused enough trouble"

Julie rolled her eyes "It's true…mark my words, you'll be bringing up those children not them!"

Helen sighed and walk towards her bedroom, opening the door she found Paul checking on the babies. He turned and smiled at her.

"They're still asleep, probably stay that way for a while longer, I've checked that there are enough nappies for them and I know that we put some extra feeds in the fridge before, you sure you don't mind" Paul said

"Of course not" Helen replied

Paul sat on the bed "Gran you know we're not going to dump these three on you" he said

Helen smiled "Of course not…you didn't go through what you went through to have these children only to let them be brought up by someone else" she said "Go and look after Gail, we can cope with these three for a few more hours"

"Thanks Gran" he said, kissing her on the cheek, he checked on the babies one last time before leaving the house. Opening the door of number 22, he called out to Gail before heading into the kitchen to prepare something to eat. Five minutes later Gail walked down the stairs, smiling as she heard Paul singing to himself in the kitchen, walking up to him she put her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. Paul turned slightly and kissed her cheek.

"You're supposed to be resting" he said as he worked on preparing a salad

"Hmm I need to keep an eye on you" She laughed "Just to make sure you don't burn the house down"

"Hey cheeky I can cook" Paul laughed

"Yeah right" Gail said "So how are the children?"

"They're fine…still sleeping at the moment" Paul said "Gran said that they'll bring them home in a couple of hours"

"How's Lucy?" Gail asked

"She seems okay" Paul said "By the way Jules is going back home" turning to face Gail.

"In some respect that's sad, it's a shame we couldn't have a nice Christmas together" Gail said "How does your dad feel about her going"

"He seems relieved, not sure what's going on with him and Julie…I mean he wasn't that pleased to see her in the first place and they just seem distant" Paul said

"He's probably just feeling tired, with all the arguments these past few weeks and then what happened with Lucy" Gail said "I'm sure by this time next year everything will be forgotten"

Paul smiled "Yeah just think this time next year we'll have three babies crawling around this place, getting into everything" he said

Paul turned and looked at the spaghetti cooking on the stove "Dinner is nearly ready" he said

Gail walked over to the table and laughed "You've even set the table up with candles" she said

Paul walked over to her and put his arms around her, kissing her on the back of the neck "Yeah well I thought you deserved a little spoiling" he said "Besides it's been a while since we had a candlelit meal"

Gail laughed "I never had you figured for a romantic type Robinson" she said

"Hey, watch it" Paul replied, reflectively he stared at the candlelight "I remember the first time I set the table like this for a romantic meal, it was the day you came back from New York. After you phoned I tidied up the house making sure everything was perfect for you, even down to setting the table"

Gail looked at him "I remember…I also remember thinking it was probably Helen's idea" she said

Paul laughed "Nope..I had a very different reunion planned from the one you gave me" he said

Gail smiled sadly "I'm sorry" she said

"Yeah well lack of communication has always been our downfall; too often it's almost ruined things for us" he said taking her hand and kissing it "But not anymore, we can't afford to let that happen"

Gail nodded in agreement "We've got too much to lose" she said "Our family is much too precious to let anything ruin it"

"I know" Paul said "So Mrs Robinson, we're in this together. we're going to give these children the best of everything."

Gail smiled "That's all I want, I'm just worried that I'm not cut out for motherhood" she said

Paul shook his head "Darling don't doubt yourself, this is new for both of us, but at the end of the day we've always worked as a team" He said "Just remember that we're not in competition as to who can be the better parent"

"Of course not…it just feels that they respond better to you than me, I just feel hopeless" Gail said

Paul squeezed her hand "I keep telling you that you're not hopeless, you've been under a good deal of stress lately and Julie hasn't helped" he said "Let's just take one day at a time"

An hour later Paul and Gail were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing.

"Hmm if we stay really quiet do you think they'd go away" Paul smirked

Gail laughed "Don't think so somehow" she said

Paul got up and kissed her "It's good to hear you laugh again" he said as he went to open the door.

"Hey dad" he said on opening the door

"Paul…thought you might like these three back…they've all been fed and changed so should sleep for a while" Jim said

Paul stood aside and let Jim, Beverley and Helen walk in

"Where's Lucy?" Paul asked

"She's at home…said she wanted to practice her flute a bit" Jim said

"Is she okay?" Gail asked "I guess she's moving back home now that Julie's gone"

"Possibly" Jim replied "But that will take some of the pressure of you two"

"Paul why don't I help you take these three upstairs and put them to bed" Helen said

"I'll put some coffee on" Gail smiled

Helen and Beverley followed Paul upstairs while Gail put the kettle on and Jim sat down.

"So how are you feeling now?" Jim asked

Gail went and sat down opposite him "I'm fine…guess I want to be the perfect mother" she said

Jim laughed "There's no such thing as the perfect parent, it's a learning curve, some days are easier than others" he said

"I know and I've got Paul by my side" she said "Look Jim I'm sorry about Julie"

"Hey it wasn't your fault, I honestly don't know what's wrong with her, and she seemed intent on causing trouble the minute she got here"

Gail looked at the engagement ring on her finger "I don't understand why she's jealous, I mean what she did to Lucy was horrible and the way she's been making snide remarks towards Paul and I when we haven't done anything wrong…mind you I hate to say it but Paul giving me his mum's engagement ring didn't help…it should have been Julie's"

Jim looked at her and shook his head "Gail…Anne and Julie never really had a good relationship, they used to argue all the time, it's funny but I always thought that mothers and daughters were supposed to be close but not those two, she was much closer to Paul. I know I did the right thing by giving that ring to him because at the end of the day it's what his mother would have wanted and for him to give it to someone who loved him as much as she did. That ring was never going to be Julie's"

"And another thing, no matter what Julie thinks you are as much a part of this family as she is" he said "Besides you've just given me three beautiful grandchildren"

"How were they after we left?" Gail asked

"Fine…" Jim said

"Oh good, so what's wrong with Lucy?" Gail asked

Jim looked at her "Nothing why do you ask?" he said

Gail smiled "Well usually we can't keep her away from Robert, she seems to have grown really attached to him and yet she doesn't come back here when you bring them back" she said

Jim groaned "Julie had another go at her" he said "Shortly after Paul left"

Gail sighed "What happened?"

"Julie told her the reason that you were upset was because you had to look after her for the past few weeks, that although Julie is her sister and has to put up with her you don't" Jim said

Gail looked away "That's not true and Lucy knows that" she said

"I know…but just at the moment she's vulnerable so every little dig that Julie makes her wonder what is true and what isn't" Jim said

"I'll go and talk to her in a while" Gail said

"You don't need to" Jim said

Gail smiled "I want to, besides I'm not going to let Julie ruin my relationship with Lucy, which reminds me I want to talk to Paul about Godparents for the triplets, we both agreed that Lucy was too young which is why we named Lucinda after her but now I'm not so sure" she said

"Legally she's too young" Jim said

"The legal age is 16 I think, she'll be 15 next year, so all we have to do is just age her by a year" Gail said teasingly

Jim laughed "Thanks…just what I want" he said

"She's growing up. She's been great around here lately, helping look after Robert while we've looked after the two little ones" Gail said "He responds to her"

"I noticed that this afternoon, Lucinda and Cameron woke up first wanting feeding and that woke Robert up, Lucy went straight to him and picked him up, I watched them while I was warming the milk up and he just seemed to settle down as she talked to him" Jim said

Gail smiled "Robert isn't as demanding as the other two, Lucinda and Cameron tend to scream the place down until they get what they want but he seems quieter and easier to soothe" she said

"Must take after his dad" Jim said

"Are we talking about the same Paul here?" Gail said

Paul came downstairs, followed by Helen and Beverley.

"So is everything nice and peaceful up there?" Gail asked

"They're all sleeping like angels" Paul laughed

Gail stood up "Paul can you make the coffee, I just want to go over and see Lucy" she said

"Okay but what's wrong with Lucy?" Paul asked

"Just your eldest sister being her normal friendly self" Jim replied

"Hey I won't be long" Gail said as she walked over to Paul and kissed him.

A few minutes later Gail rang the doorbell of no 26 and waited for Lucy to open it,

"Hey can I come in?" she said as Lucy opened the door.

"Sure" Lucy replied "I was practising my flute while there was no one around to annoy"

"I know I heard you as I came up the drive, it's starting to sound really good" Gail said

"Thanks" Lucy said

Gail went and sat down on the sofa "So why didn't you come back to the house with the others?" she asked

Lucy shrugged her shoulders "I told you I wanted to practice my flute" she said

Gail laughed "You are so much like your brother it's unreal, when something worries you both of you hide from it, Paul usually buries himself under a pile of paperwork while you pretend you want to practice your flute" she said "Your dad told me what Julie said to you"

Lucy picked up a cushion from the sofa on the opposite side of the room and sat down "I just thought that as Julie's gone now you might prefer it if I came home" she said "I mean you have the three babies to look after so you don't want me hanging around"

Gail got up and walked over to Lucy, sitting down next to her "Lucy, what have I told you about listening to Julie, she's so wrapped up in her herself she doesn't care who she hurts" Gail said "She's right about one thing, I'm not your sister but you and Scott are the closest I have to a brother and sister, and I love you both, yes I've found looking after the three babies hard work and Julie hasn't helped with her comments, but both Paul and I have loved having you around helping with the babies"

Lucy looked at her "I wish you were my sister" she said

Gail laughed "I think Paul might just disagree with you on that" she said "So what do you want to do, come over and join us at ours or stay here alone?" she asked

"Can I stay with you for a bit longer?" Lucy asked

Gail looked at her "Luce…your dad misses you and I'm sure he'd sooner you be at home" she said

Lucy thought for a moment "Okay can I stay with you until Christmas Eve and go home then?" she asked

Gail smiled "If it's okay with your dad sure, but you can still come and see the babies even when you're home, it's not like we're going anywhere" she said

"You really like Ramsay Street don't you?" Lucy said

"Of course I do, in fact you will probably leave here before Paul and I" she said "Hey let's go back over the road or are you going to stay her and brood"

Lucy looked at her and laughed "I wasn't brooding" she said "I was practising the flute"

"Hmm you were also brooding young lady, I can read the signs believe me I live with an expert, she said

Lucy stood up and put the flute back in its box "I'm glad Julie's gone, this Christmas was going to be a nightmare with her here" she said "She just caused so much trouble and she was horrible to you"

"For some reason she doesn't like seeing your brother happy" Gail said "Anyway let's forget about that it's Christmas in a couple days time"

Later that evening after the Jim, Beverley and Helen had gone home and Lucy had gone to bed, Paul finished washing up the dishes while Gail relaxed on the sofa.

"Hey do want a drink?" Paul said

Gail smiled "Yeah, hot chocolate would be good" she replied

Gail laughed as she heard Paul whistling to himself in the kitchen, as he came into the living room he smiled "What's so funny" he asked

"You" she replied "It's been a long time since I heard you whistling like that"

Paul placed the mugs on the coffee table and sat down on the sofa next to Gail, placing his arm around her "And why shouldn't I?" he said "Everything is perfect, we've got rid of the wicked witch of the west, we have three beautiful children and I have a beautiful wife who I love very much"

Gail smiled and snuggled into him "I love you too, so much" she said "By the way that wicked witch of the west happens to be your sister"

Paul laughed "I'm just glad she's gone, she was making everyone miserable" he said "Lucy seems more settled now too"

"In a way I'm glad Jim didn't force her to go home, it has to be on her terms at the moment" Gail said

"At least she's be at home on Christmas Eve which is where she should be" Paul said "As much as I love having her around I know that she would really be with dad"

"I know what you mean which reminds me I was talking to Jim earlier this evening about godparents for the triplets" Gail said "And I really think we should have Lucy"

Paul looked at her "Darling she's too young you know that"

"Is she?" Gail said "I mean look how great she is Robert, he responds to her"

Paul laughed "Robert responds to anyone who talks to him or gives him attention" he said "Sometimes I wish the other two were as easy to soothe as he is"

"I guess they will calm down eventually" Gail replied "But I'm serious Paul, look Lucy is 15 next year we only have to age her by a year"

"Did you say that to dad, I can just see his reaction now" Paul replied "I bet he loved that idea, she's already growing up too fast"

Gail smiled "You can't keep her your little sister forever darling" she said

"Okay if that's what you really want then perhaps we need to look at it further" Paul said "So who else do you want as Godparents"

"Scott obviously, then Charlene and Rosemary" Gail replied "Maybe Des as well, we could stick to five"

"Okay" Paul said "but Rosemary's in America most of the time"

"I know but look how she's helped us out so much this past month, she's allowed you to take a complete break from the office and spend some time with me" Gail said "I just think it would be a nice thing to do, if she doesn't want to then at least we've asked her"

Paul laughed "You've got it all planned" he said "I was actually thinking about what will happen when Rosemary goes back to the States, I know she has to go back for a meeting next month but she said she'll come straight back but there's going to be a time when she's going to want to go home"

Gail looked at him but remained silent. Paul hugged her closer to him.

"I don't want to go back to the way things were before, I'd sooner sell the whole business than risk a rift between us again" he said

Gail looked at him and smiled "It won't happen because we won't let it" she said "I don't want you to even think about selling after all you or rather we built that place up to what it is today"

"That's true enough…I figured that if I go into the office on Mondays and Fridays just to make sure everything is fine for the beginning and the end of the week then work from here for the rest of the week" he said "Of course if I'm needed I can be contacted by phone"

"Sounds wonderful in theory darling, but are you sure you'll be able to work from here with three little ones making a noise" Gail replied

"I don't see why not….and the good thing is that you'll be here and I always work better when you're around. I really missed you not being in the office" Paul said

Gail kissed him "Well we can only give it a go and see what happens" she said "Hopefully Rosemary will stay for a while yet, she seems settled at the hotel"

Paul laughed "I think she's enjoying being here, she's spending time with Gran which she hasn't been able to do in years" he said, looking at Gail a flicker of concern showed in his face "Are you sure you're alright?"

Gail smiled and kissed him "I'm fine…I'm sorry about this afternoon, I just let things get on top of me" she said

Paul stared down into his mug "I was worried…I was so scared you wouldn't come back, you were just so upset when you let that I feared you may decide to leave me and the children" he said

Gail hugged him "No matter how bad things felt, I would never leave you. I love you and our children" she said "You don't think I'd go through everything I did with the programme to walk out on you"

Paul smiled "Of course not but you were so upset about Julie…I don't know I just thought you might decide that leaving would be the best option"

Gail shook her head "I almost made that mistake once before I'm not planning on doing it again" she said "Besides I don't care what Julie thinks, everyone else thinks I'm part of this family"

Paul laughed "You're the mother of my children, how can you not belong to my family" he said "Speaking of children I think it's time we headed off to bed, you need to get some rest before those three monsters decide to wake us up"

Gail laughed "Those three monsters are our children, but you're right I'm kind of tired" she said

Paul stood up and taking Gail's hands pulled her to her feet, placing his arm around her they walked upstairs, stopping outside the nursery they peeked inside. Gail quietly walked over to Lucinda's cot and looked down on her sleeping daughter.

"She's amazing" Gail said, as she gently stroked the tiny baby's face

Paul gazed over to the other two cots and smiled "They all are" he said "We're so lucky"

Gail turned and looked at him, smiling she kissed him "We sure are, we went into the programme knowing that the success rate was, and that we could be on the programme for years and still end up childless, we went through the failures and this is our reward" she said "Three perfect healthy children"

Paul hugged her "This is what's important, without you, life would have no real meaning. There's nothing in this world I want more than you and our children" he said

Gail kissed him "Great minds think alike…all I want it us together forever watching our children grow up" she said

Paul took her hand and led her out of the nursery "Come on" he smiled "Let's leave these three sleep a little longer"

On the morning of Christmas Eve Paul and Lucy put the Christmas tree up whilst Gail finished the last of the wrapping. That afternoon Paul and Gail were upstairs putting the babies down after feeding them when the doorbell rang. Lucy shouted from the living room that she would answer it.

"Dad" Lucy said on opening the door "I thought I was coming home later"

"Don't worry…I just wondered what Paul and Gail were up to" Jim replied

"Getting the babies off to sleep at the moment, they've just been fed" Lucy said "They'll be down in a minute"

"Well I was wondering whether they'd like Beverley and I to babysit for them this afternoon to give them some time on their own" Jim said "I also thought while they were out we could prepared a barbeque for when they came back. I'm not sure what they're doing tomorrow as they might want to spend the day alone with the babies."

"That sounds like a good idea" Lucy said "But I'm not sure Gail will leave the babies"

Jim laughed "They're asleep, I'm sure by the time they wake up those two will be back" he said

"Can I help?" Lucy asked

Jim smiled "Sure, why don't you go over and see your Gran, she's in the kitchen preparing some food" he said

They were interrupted by Paul and Gail coming downstairs, Lucy said goodbye and left the house.

"Hi dad" Paul said "Where's Lucy going?"

"She's just gone to see your Gran" Jim replied "How are things around here?"

"Fine" Gail said "The babies have been fed and should be asleep for the next couple of hours"

"That's what I came over for, just wondered if you two would like to get out the house and spend some time together while Beverley and I babysit for you" Jim said

Paul looked at Gail "That's really nice of you but there's no need" he said

"Come on you two, give yourselves a break, go and get some fresh air and spend a little time together without worrying about the babies" Jim said

"I don't know" Gail replied "What if they wake up and start crying when we're not here. They're still so tiny"

Jim smiled "Gail, I've brought up four children, Beverley's a doctor. I'm sure we can manage three babies" he said

Paul looked at Gail and smiled "What do you say darling, do you fancy spending some quality time with your husband while dad looks after the babies" he said "I promise we won't be that long and those three are going to sleep for most of the afternoon"

"Okay" Gail replied smiling

Half an hour later, Paul and Gail were strolling through the park, stopping nearby the children's playground. Gail laughed as the thought hit her that whenever they decided to get out of the house they always ended up at the park.

"What's so funny?" Paul asked,

"Just thinking, that whenever we decide to get out of the house and spend some time together we usually end up here" she replied "I guess it's because it's so peaceful here"

Paul pulled her closer to him "It was here that we made the decision to go on the IVF programme if I remember correctly" he said

"I remember" Gail said "We've come a long way since then"

"Yes, just think we've come a long way since last Christmas" Paul said "I mean this time last year we were just thinking about buying the Daniels Corporation and getting into debt"

Gail smiled "Darling we still are in debt, but we've stopped pulling in opposite directions" she said

Paul looked at her "Rosemary says the hotel has done really well this Christmas, and the Waterhole's takings are up. She's also looking into investing in some of the projects that the Robinson Corporation has so things aren't that bleak" he said "It's funny whatever life throws at us we seem to come back stronger than ever and united"

"It's no longer just us anymore, there's also the children to consider in all our decisions" Gail said "I guess from the moment they were born our lives changed"

"That's what we wanted" Paul said "The most important is to make sure the Robinson Corporation succeeds and we get rid of the debt, the first thing I want to do is pay the mortgage on the house, it might take a little time but I'm sure it can be done"

Gail smiled "We'll face it together" she said

Getting back into the car, they headed to Lassiters for a coffee; a comfortable silence took hold of them during the drive, when Paul stopped the car he got out and opened the door for Gail, glancing towards the office. Taking Gail's hand he led her towards the office, she looked at him slightly confused.

"I thought we were going to the coffee shop" she said

"We are" Paul said "Just thought we'd make a quick detour"

"To the office" Gail laughed "I don't believe you Robinson" as he opened the door.

Gail took one of the seats in the reception area "So what are we doing here?" she asked

"Reminiscing" Paul replied "Don't you remember this is where you walked back into my life?"

Gail laughed "I remember…wasn't overly impressed at the time, I have to admit" she replied

"Do you remember the first words you said to me?" Paul said

"Something about if I had known it was you who put that advert in the paper I wouldn't have bothered" she said "To be honest I couldn't see us working together again, there was too much animosity between us"

"The strange thing was that in spite of how things had been between us in the past we settled into a comfortable friendship" Paul said "Gran kept on at me to employ you but I kept teasing her telling her you were too tough, too ambitious"

Gail laughed "Thanks" she said

"In my heart I think I knew I wanted to employ you" Paul said "You were the best candidate for the post"

"I remember you told me to take the job because we would do great things together" Gail said

"I got that one right didn't I" Paul laughed

"Yeah and as I recall we had a good number of arguments too" Gail said "Those early months there were times when I could have strangled you"

"Like the time I told Mr Udigawa we were getting married" Paul said

Gail laughed "Don't even go there, then Jeremy turned up and once again turned my world upside down" she said

"I knew you were making a bad mistake going back to him, but you wouldn't listen, you thought I was scared of you dropping out of the business deal" Paul said "The truth was I cared about you and didn't want to see him hurt you again"

Gail smiled "I know that now" she said "You were right too, he was only using me to get dad to work on that stupid car"

"Do you ever wonder what it would have been like if it had been just us in the beginning without Jeremy or Terri?" Paul asked

"Interesting thought" Gail said "Might have saved us both a lot of heartache, but I'm not sure it would have worked…I mean we didn't get on during the airline days"

"I guess that was my fault" Paul said "I wasn't used to taking orders from a woman"

Gail laughed "You're no good at taking orders from anyone!" she said

"I'm not that bad! Paul laughed "Hey do want to grab that coffee"

Gail smiled "Yep, how about next door, it's such a nice day"

Hand in hand they walked over to the coffee shop, Paul went inside to order while Gail took a seat outside, it was fairly quiet and they were the only two at an outside table. Once he had ordered Paul went back outside and sat down.

"It's so peaceful here" Gail said "I've always loved these surroundings"

"What are you thinking?" she asked

"Just back to two years ago…the day we ended our so called 'Marriage of Convenience'" he replied "All the emotions of that day"

Gail smiled "So much for protecting ourselves from ever falling in love and getting hurt again" she said

"Well it was a good idea in theory….just didn't think either of us thought that we could possibly fall in love with each other" Paul said

"I just remember the feeling of hopelessness, the fact that I didn't want to go to New York but I knew I couldn't stay, not after revealing the truth about our marriage, I just felt ashamed…it wasn't something I was proud of…then Scott drove me here and told me I needed to say goodbye" Gail said "I remember you coming out of the Waterhole Office and slightly pleading with you to say something…anything to make me stay but you went back into the office without a word. I felt rejected and frustrated because on one hand I had Scott telling me that you told him you loved me and then you reject me"

Paul gently took her hand "I didn't reject you…I just didn't think there was any point telling you how I felt, you were leaving" He said "I remember Scott having a go at me for not saying anything and storming out of the pub and then seeing you on the bridge"

Gail laughed "And the rest is history!" she said

Yes thank goodness" Paul said "That was a good Christmas though, just you and me in New Zealand without work or the family"

"We'll definitely have to go back one day" Gail smiled "Take the kids with us and you could visit Amy"

Paul suddenly thought "Amy" he said "I forgot to tell you with everything that's been happening lately but I had a letter from Nina"

"Is everything okay?" Gail asked

"Amy's fine, she's growing up fast. Nina just wrote to tell me that her new husband is adopting Amy" Paul said watching for Gail's reaction

"Just like that without your consent…he can't do that" Gail said

Paul frowned "Apparently so…well my name isn't on the birth certificate so in theory I have no rights" he said

"How do you feel about that?" Gail asked

"I'm not happy but I don't see what I can do apart from drag Amy through the courts and fight for my rights as her father, which is something I don't particularly want to do" Paul said

Gail took hold of his hand "Darling I know how you felt when you found out that she was yours, if you want to fight for her then do it" she said "You know I'll support you"

"Thanks" Paul smiled "But…I don't know, part of me thinks that maybe it would be best to let Amy be adopted by someone who will give her what I can't…a real father. Let's be honest to be a father to her means spending time with her, going down every other weekend to New Zealand and visiting, but that means taking time away from you and our children and it's not something I want to do. Let's be honest if Nina had had her way I wouldn't have known Amy existed." Paul said

"What happens if Amy discovers the truth one day?" Gail said "Remember how I was when I found that I had been adopted"

"I'm going to tell Nina that I will allow the adoption to go ahead as long as she explains to Amy when she's old enough to understand, also the trust fund that I set up will still be hers" he said

Gail looked at him "I'm sorry Paul, I know how much she meant to you" she said "And I think it was unfair of Nina to keep it from you, finding out the way you did was horrible"

"I don't know if it would have made any difference" Paul said "Our relationship was over and even if she had told me I don't think marriage would have been on the cards. Darling one day Amy will know the truth and if she decides to come here and see me then that would be great but my main concern is our children, those three are precious, I watched them being born, I've fed them, walked the room with them trying to get them to sleep and they're part of us…it gives us an even stronger connection."

Gail smiled "You know I'm always on your side whatever…I love you" she said

"I love you too..." Paul said "It's funny really…you feared that my attachment to Amy could affect how I felt about our children but the opposite is true. Please tell me you understand why I'm doing what I'm doing"

Gail smiled "Of course I do" she said

"Good" Paul said kissing her "Now how about we finish our coffee and head home, I'm sure that the triplets will have worn out dad and Bev by now."

Paul and Gail walked into number 22 to find Lucy on the floor playing with the two boys.

"Hey Munchkin where is everyone?" Paul asked

"You're back, well dad's in the back garden getting your barbeque fixed up and Gran and Beverley are upstairs feeding Elle" Lucy replied

Paul looked at Gail "Elle?" he said

Lucy looked at him and shook her head "Well you two gave her such a long name that she'll probably want to shorten it and 'Elle' suits her" she said, looking at the couple she asked "You don't mind do you?"

Gail laughed "No…you're right she'd probably shorten it herself anyway, so have these two been fed and changed?" she said

"Yep" Lucy said "I'm just keeping them entertained…how can you tell which is which"

"Easy" Paul said "One of them has a mole on his left arm the other one doesn't"

"Which one?" Lucy asked

"Aha that's for us to know and you to find out" Paul laughed

Gail smiled "Why don't you check out Robert more closely next time" she said

"What's with the barbeque Luce?" Paul asked

"It was dad's idea, he didn't know whether you wanted to spend Christmas alone or with us so he thought it would be nice to have a family barbeque today, we thought over here because you can put the babies to bed when they need to go" Lucy said "Gran's been cooking all morning"

"I see" Paul said, "Just for a moment I thought we'd walked into the wrong house; well I'd better go and see if dad needs any help"

Gail sat down on the floor next to Lucy "Has everything been okay? She asked

"Of course…they've woke up about half an hour ago" Lucy said "Did you have a good time?"

Gail smiled as she picked up Cameron "We had a nice walk in the park and then coffee at the coffee shop" she said "I better go up and check on my daughter" kissing Cameron she placed him back on the mat next to Robert.

"I'll keep an eye on these two" Lucy said

Gail walked upstairs and into the nursery where Helen and Beverley were with Lucinda.

"Hi" Gail smiled "How's this little one?" she said

"She's fine now, was a bit sick after feeding but she seems to be okay" Beverley said

Gail walked over to the baby and gently stroked her face "She guzzles her food too quick" Gail said "I thought Robert was bad but she's even worse at times"

Helen smiled at the baby in her arms "It's funny I can see a lot of you in her but I can also see Anne in her too" she said

Gail looked down at her tiny daughter "Well Paul can see Lucy in her, I guess she's a mixture" she said "But the boys definitely take after Paul…I can see him in them"

Helen laughed "They may be identical but their characters are different, I can tell that even at this age" she said "I think Robert has Paul's temperament, he seems calmer very much how Paul was. I think due to how young they were Paul was the perfect baby for Jim and Anne."

"Well I'd better go and see if Jim needs any help with the barbeque" Beverley said as she started to walk out the door, leaving Helen and Gail alone.

"So how are things?" Helen asked as she handed the baby to Gail. Both women sat down in the rocking chairs.

"Fine" Gail smiled "In fact I don't think things can get any better, these three are beginning to settle a little bit and Paul has been amazing" she said "He's been so supportive these past few weeks"

Helen smiled "His mother would have been proud of him, in fact she would have been proud of you both especially the way you looked after Lucy and coped with the babies as well"

Gail looked at her "Well I think Lucy's enjoyed staying here and helping with the babies, but I wish she had never overheard that conversation between Paul and Julie, she didn't' need to know the reason why her mother died" Gail said

"I honestly don't know what's wrong with Julie; she's changed so much since she left home. This jealous streak doesn't win her any favours with anyone." Helen said "I don't really think Jim will ever forgive her for what she said to Lucy or to you and Paul"

"I just don't understand why she took an instant dislike to me" Gail said

"It wasn't you, I don't think she liked the fact that she's been gone for so long and no one has really missed her" Helen said "To be honest I'm glad she's gone, she was causing so many problems and I was worried about you and Paul, you had so much pressure on you with her criticisms and then looking after the babies and coping with Lucy. I know at one point Paul was worried that you'd just decide to leave him with the babies"

Gail shook her head "I almost made that mistake before the triplets were born" she said "That day, when I walked back into the house I saw him crying over the three teddy bears that dad left for the triplets, he didn't even hear me walk in and at that point I knew that I could never leave him, that some how we'd get through the bad times. We promised each other that we would never again let lack of communications ruin things between us. He's given me the one thing I never thought I would have, a family of my own."

The conversation was interrupted by Paul walking into the nursery. "Hey what's keeping you two, the barbeque is almost ready" he said

Gail smiled "We were just talking, how's the boys?" she said

"Lucy's still keeping them entertained" Paul said "What have you two been talking about then?"

Helen laughed "Nothing much" she said

"Well I don't know about you two but I'm hungry so you better get a move on" Paul said

Gail stood up "I just hope our sons don't take after you, one impatient person in this family is enough" she laughed as she kissed him.

Paul looked at the baby in her arms "How's this little one doing? Beverley said she was sick after feeding" he said

Helen laughed "She takes after you, guzzling her food too quickly you were just the same at her age" she said

Gail laughed "You know I can never think of you as this small" she said to Paul "Even though I've seen all your baby pictures"

Later that evening after the rest of the family went home. Paul sat on the sofa cuddling his Lucinda, Gail came downstairs and sat next to him.

"Well that's the two boys asleep, what about this one?" Gail said

"I brought her down here as she seems unsettled, didn't want her disturbing the boys" Paul replied

Gail laughed "She's a fast learner I'll give her that. Only six weeks old and she's already got you twisted around her little finger" she said

"Not true" Paul said protesting "Just wanted to make sure she was okay, especially with her being sick after her feed this afternoon"

Gail stroked the baby's cheek "She's fine…she's just enjoying getting her daddy's attention" she said "Why don't I make some coffee while you take her back upstairs"

"Okay" Paul said, getting up from the sofa. Gail gently kissed the baby's head before Paul took her upstairs. She smiled as she watched him walk upstairs gently talking to the baby. Walking quietly into the nursery, Paul looked into the two cribs holding his sons, seeing that both babies were fast asleep he walked over to the empty crib and gently placed his daughter inside it. Gently stroking her face, he waited for her to settle and smiled as he saw her thumb go into her mouth. He stood watching her for a few minutes before going back downstairs.

Gail stood in the kitchen pouring the coffee, looking up she smiled "So how is she?"

"Asleep…it's funny she's just like Lucy used to be, once she makes up her mind to go to sleep the first thing she does is place her thumb in her mouth" Paul said

"Helen said you used to be the same" Gail replied "She also said that you were an amazingly good baby…that I find hard to believe"

Paul laughed "Well let's hope these three take after me then" he said "You don't mind our daughter's slight name change?"

Gail smiled, walking over to the sofa she placed the mugs on the table before sitting down "Not really…in fact it suits her" she said

"I agree..I was wondering how we'd shorten the name without her being called 'Lucy', not that there's anything wrong with that name" Paul said as he sat down.

Gail rested her head on his shoulder "It's so strange her not being here, I've got so used to her being around" she said

"Ah don't speak too soon, she'll be around here at 6am tomorrow if dad's lets her just to check that Robert isn't missing her too much" Paul laughed "Mind you she's well known for her early mornings on Christmas Day. I think the earliest she's got up is about 12.30am"

"Yeah and you never did anything like that I presume" Gail said

"No of course not, I was the model child" Paul replied

Gail laughed "Yeah right…hey today was great, the barbeque was a nice idea" she said

"Yes it sure was..so how do you want to spend tomorrow?" Paul asked "Have you wrapped my Christmas present yet?"

"Aha what makes you think I've got you one" Gail said "Do you really think you deserve one?"

"Hmm well yes I guess there's no answer to that, so tell me how you want to spend tomorrow?" he said

"I don't mind…I know your dad and Helen would love to see the children tomorrow" Gail said

"We could go there after lunch and just spend the morning together maybe take the babies out in their prams"

"Fine by me" Paul replied "Are you okay?"

Gail looked at him, seeing the concern in his eyes she smiled "I think so…it seems so strange without dad, I can't imagine how Gloria is feeling tonight" she replied

"We could go and see her tomorrow morning if you want, take the children…I'm sure she'd like to see them" Paul said

Gail smiled "That would be nice…not sure what she's got planned though" she said

Paul pulled her closer to him "You know I meant what I said to you?" he said

Gail looked at him waiting for him to continue.

"That I know I can't take your dad's place but I promise I will always be here for you when you need me" he said "Nothing is more important to me than you"

Gail smiled "Thanks…darling you know…these past few weeks you've more than made up for all the pain of the last year" she said

Paul sighed "There shouldn't have been any pain" he said

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of crying coming from upstairs.

"Lucinda" Gail said

Paul just looked at her and laughed

"What?" Gail asked as she got up from the sofa.

"I can see it now, when she's good, she's Elle but when she's bad she's Lucinda" Paul said

"I thought you said she was asleep" Gail replied

"She was, by the way how can you tell which baby is crying?" Paul said "For all you know it could be one of the boys"

Gail laughed "Call it mother's instinct, I better go and see what she wants" she said as she walked towards the stairs.

Paul sat back on the sofa, smiling to himself thinking that his life couldn't' get much better even with three crying babies. Getting up from the sofa he decided to go and check on the Nursery. As he got to the door of the room he saw Gail with the baby on the changing table.

"Is she okay?" he said standing in the doorway

Gail turned to look at him "Yeah she's just been sick though, I'm just changing her but I'm going to have to change the crib as well" she said

"Hey I'll do that" Paul said

Gail smiled "Thanks, there's some fresh linen in the cupboard" she said

Paul looked into the other two cribs "At least these two are still sound asleep"

"Don't speak too soon" Gail replied

"Do you want me to get Beverley?" Paul asked

"Darling it's 11pm, Beverley checked her over this afternoon and couldn't find anything wrong, let's see how she is this evening and tomorrow morning" Gail said

After changing the crib, they decided to take Lucinda back downstairs and try and get her to sleep. Gail made some coffee as Paul gently rocked the baby in his arms.

"I was right about you" she said "You're going to make a wonderful father"

Paul laughed "No we're going to make brilliant parents after all we've always been a good team"

Half an hour later, they heard more crying from upstairs, Paul checked his watch. "I guess its feed time again" he said, gently he laid the baby back in the basinet and went back upstairs to get the two boys while Gail warmed the bottles.

Sitting back on the sofa, Gail and Paul fed the two boys, Paul kept his eye on the basinet in case his daughter stirred.

"Cameron always manages to fall asleep during the night time feeds" Gail laughed as she looked at the sleeping baby. Gently she put him on her shoulder and rubbed his back.

"I also think he's filled his nappy" Paul laughed "He stinks"

Charming" Gail said "You can change him"

"They're both going to need changing" Paul said

An hour later, they put the two boys back into the crib, going back downstairs, Gail went to tidy the kitchen while Paul checked on their daughter. Seeing that she was quiet he went and helped Gail.

"We could leave this tidying up until tomorrow" he said

Gail took his hand and turned his wrist over looking at his watch "It is tomorrow..it won't take long and then hopefully we can go and get some sleep" she said

Paul picked up the tea towel and started drying up "What are we going to do with Lucinda?" he asked

"To be honest I'm not sure that I want her sleeping in the nursery tonight, I want her with us…do you mind if we take the carrier cot upstairs and she can sleep in our room" Gail said

"Of course not…" Paul said "Come on let's get some rest"

"Sounds good to me" Gail said as Paul picked up the carrier cot and Gail picked the baby out of the basinet.

At the foot of the stairs. Paul turned to Gail and kissed her "Happy Christmas" he said

Gail smiled "I think it will be" she said "We've got everything we want."


	10. Chapter 10

A month later, Paul sat in the office of the Robinson Corporation; Rosemary had returned to America for a meeting but would be back within the week. His new office staff were on their rounds of the complex and things seemed to be running smoothly but something inside him felt unsettled. His mind was elsewhere and definitely not on work. Sighing he picked up another investment file and tried to get his mind concentrating on business. A few minutes later he looked up to see Jim walk into the office.

"How are things going?" Jim enquired as he sat down in the chair opposite Paul.

Paul sighed "Not too bad…Rosemary has this place running like clockwork" he said

Jim laughed "I never thought I'd see the day when you didn't look happy to be at work" he said

"I don't know there's just so much I could be doing at home and I'm stuck here. I never thought it would affect me but I miss the kids, even the endless feeds and nappy changes" Paul said

"Well Rosemary should be back soon, but the question is what are you going to do when she decides that she needs to return back to the States permanently?" Jim said

Paul laughed "I haven't thought that far ahead…but one thing is for sure I'm not planning on going back to the way things were" he said "perhaps I'll try working from home as much as possible so that I'm there when Gail needs me and also I think we can share the responsibility"

"Your sister called me last night, she wants to know when the babies' christening is, I told her to ask you" Jim said "Think she is hinting that perhaps she might be considered for a godparent"

Paul groaned and held his head in his hands "After her behaviour at Christmas, I don't think so, besides Gail and I have already discussed the godparents we want" he said

"And that includes Lucy?" Jim asked knowingly nodding his head in anticipation

Paul laughed "Afraid so…means your daughter has aged by a year, either that or we wait a year to christen them" he said "But she has been great with Robert…well she's great with the other two but she's bonded more with Robert"

"You do know that she was up at 6.30am Christmas day ready to come over to your place to help with the feeding" Jim said

"Why did you stop her?" Paul replied, smiling snidely

Jim laughed "So have you fixed a date yet?" he said

"February 18th" Paul replied

"Ah good, I was wondering if you were going home for lunch today mate" Jim asked

Paul looked at the work on his desk "I was planning on it…but I need to get some of this paperwork sorted and I don't want to be here after 5pm" he said

"Okay…so why don't I go back to Ramsay Street and look after the triplets and let Gail meet you here for lunch" Jim said "Surely you can spare half an hour away from your desk for you wife"

Paul laughed "For her I can spare more than that" he said "I might take some of these files home and work through them from home tomorrow" he said

"Well…I'll head back to Ramsay Street and babysit my grandchildren and let Gail join you here for lunch" Jim said

Paul's eyes lit up "You sure?" he said "I mean they can be a handful"

Jim laughed "I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't mean it" he said "Besides Helen's at home and Beverley is going to be home for lunch so I'm sure between us we can manage"

Paul turned back to his files as Jim left the office; he had a couple of hours to at least try to get to grips with what was going on in the office. Meanwhile back in Ramsay Street Gail had finished giving the triplets their mid morning feed with the help of Helen. Robert and Cameron were settled in their cribs downstairs but Gail held Lucinda in her arms, trying to get the baby to settle. Helen watched her, as she made some coffee.

"This one is just not going to go to sleep" Gail said raising her eyes to the ceiling

"Ah she's exactly like Lucy" Helen said "She didn't like the idea of sleep either, felt she might miss something"

Gail laughed "This one is missing something" she said "Her dad, so am I to be honest"

"Is he coming home for lunch?" Helen asked

"I don't think so…he said he would try and get as much work done today so he can be home tomorrow…he'll bring work home with him" Gail replied

"Rosemary will be back shortly too…so that will give Paul some more time off" Helen said "I don't know, these past few months I've noticed a change in him, he's no longer a workaholic"

Gail smiled "true, he is keeping to his word but I know he enjoys spending time with the babies, even the early morning feeds" she said "He's even got up early this morning before the office"

"Well let's see how he copes with work when these three are teething and up all night" Helen joked

Gail laughed "Don't even go there…it's bad enough one child up all night can you imagine if you've got three all teething"

Just then there was a knock at the door, "Do you want me to get it?" Helen offered

"Oh yes please…I'll try and settle this one down" Gail said looking at Lucinda.

"Hi" Jim said as he walked through the door

"Shhhhhhhs" Helen said

"What's wrong?" Jim asked

"Lucinda's restless…she doesn't seem to want to settle" Gail replied gently stroking the baby's back

Jim walked over to them and smiled, gently touching the baby's cheek.

"In that case then how about a walk to Lassiters?" he said "That might help settle her"

"I did think about that but the boys are asleep and I don't want to disturb them just yet" Gail said

"I had a thought about that, I've just spoken to Paul and he's having difficulty concentrating" Jim said "So I told him that I would persuade you to meet him for lunch"

"I can't ask you to look after the boys though" Gail said "It's not fair to expect you to look after them while I go out"

"Of course you can, Gail I told you when you found out you were expecting triplets that the family would help in any way they could, so give yourself a break and go and have lunch with your husband, besides the walk will probably settle this one down" Jim said

"Yes and a cuddle from her dad will probably settle her too" Gail laughed.

"So that's agreed" Helen said "Let me take this little one and you can get ready"

Gail opened the main door to the Robinson Corporation office and gently pushed the pram through the door; the baby woke as she closed the door and began crying again. At his desk Paul heard the commotion outside and walked out to see what was going on. Smiling he walked over to Gail and kissed her.

"What's all this fuss about?" he said as he gently lifted Lucinda up.

Gail laughed as the Lucinda quietened with Paul's soothing. Stroking Lucinda's cheek she cooed

"There you've finally got what you wanted all morning,…a cuddle from your dad"

Paul laughed "Well it usually worked with you" winking at her as he said it

Gail shook her head and nudged Paul

Paul chuckled "It's nice to be wanted isn't it Lucinda"

"Don't get tickets on yourself matey" Gail laughed

"Well at least one of my girls appreciates me" Paul said, jokingly

Gail laughed; digging him in the ribs she replied "Don't push your luck, so where are you taking us for lunch then?"

"Oh I've ordered a picnic lunch and thought we could sit by the lake" Paul replied

Finding a shaded area by the lake, they placed the blanket on the ground and Paul made sure Lucinda was settled in the pram. Gail smiled at the protectiveness he displayed.

"So now that you've got our daughter settled, how about giving some attention to her mum" Gail said

Paul hugged her "Well since you asked so nicely how could I refuse" he said as he kissed her, after a few minutes Gail pulled away and opened the basket.

"So what have you got us for lunch?" she asked, looking inside she laughed

"I don't believe it you've got all my favourite things" she said

"See I can do things right sometimes" Paul replied as he snuggled up closer to her.

"What time do you have to get back?" Gail asked

Paul looked at her "I'm the boss remember, about an hour and a half" he said laughing "So how has your day been?"

"Well apart from this one being restless I have managed to get some housework done and Helen came round to help with feed time" Gail replied "How about you?"

"Not too bad, in fact everything seems to be running like clockwork at the moment, the hotel bookings are up on last year, the conference bookings are excellent and I've also managed to sell of some rezoned land which means we can get rid of some of that debt" he said

"That's excellent…the sooner we pay off the mortgage on the house, the better I'll feel" Gail said

"Darling, don't worry getting rid of the debt is my priority now" Paul said "Well that and making sure I look after you"

Gail smiled "You're not doing too badly" she said

Paul turned and checked on the baby next to him, lying in the pram carriage, smiling he sighed "It doesn't get much more perfect than this does it?" He said

Gail laughed "No it doesn't" she replied "I have everything I want and the one thing I never thought I would have, a family of my own"

Paul pulled her close to him and kissed her "I know what you mean…it's hard work, the sleepless nights and early mornings but just watching them sleep…it makes everything worth while" he said

"It will get easier…once we get past the teething stage and the temper tantrums" Gail laughed

Paul groaned "Don't spoil a perfect moment" he laughed

Gail laughed "I'm not…we'll get through it together"

Paul laughed "So you don't regret staying?" he said

Gail rolled her eyes "Now who's spoiling the moment" she said "Of course I don't regret staying, every time I see you with one of these three in your arms I realise that walking out would have been the worse thing I could have done for all of us…I would have deprived them of knowing a father who loved them , also I would have done exactly what Nina did to you and that wouldn't have been fair…I know how much having a family meant to you…it was just you let the business take priority" she said

"Not anymore" Paul replied "This family is more important, the success of the Robinson Corporation is important as it will give our children the security they need but the family will always come first, I promise"

Gail smiled "I know that" she said as she snuggled up closer to him.

"Oh by the way Dad had a phone call from Julie …apparently she wants to know when the christening is…dad has a feeling she's expecting an invite to be a godparent" Paul said, placing his arm around Gail's waist.

"What after her performance at Christmas…she has a nerve" Gail said "However I guess if you want to have her as godparent I won't object"

"No…we've got Rosemary, Charlene, Lucy, Gloria, Scott and Des…I think we've got enough besides after what she did to Lucy and you, it will take a long time before I forgive her" Paul said "The further she stays away from me the better"

"She's still your sister Paul" Gail said

Paul sighed "I know…speaking of families, have you given any thought about inviting Ian to the christening" he said

Gail looked at him "I don't know…maybe If dad was still here but I feel if I invite him then I betray dad" she said "I spoke to Gloria the other day and she told me that I shouldn't feel guilty if I let Ian see the children but I can't help it. Dad was looking forward to being a grandfather. Oh Paul I don't know what to do for the best"

"You don't have to do anything…I spoke to Ian at Christmas and he's fine…I told him that you needed time" Paul said "Maybe give it a couple more months and we can go to Tasmania and see him or he can come here."

"Mmm" Gail said "Families….why do things get so complicated"

Paul laughed "Don't ask me" he replied, looking at his watch he sighed "Guess I should get back to work"

"I'll be home by 6pm at the latest…if I'm not send out a search party" Paul said

"Darling its fine…I'll get dinner ready for 7pm" she said kissing him.

After saying goodbye to Paul, Gail made her way back to Lassiters, smiling at the fact that her daughter was now sleeping peacefully thanks to her husband. On arriving back at no 22, she was met by Jim as she opened the door.

"Hi" He said, helping her in with the pram "I was just on my way back to work"

"Sorry…I didn't mean to be so long" Gail replied

Jim smiled "You weren't" he said peeking into the pram "I see you got this one to sleep finally"

Gail laughed "Yeah five minutes in her father's arms and she settled" she said

"Well I better be heading off, Helen's upstairs" Jim said, kissing her on the cheek.

"Were the boys okay?" Gail asked

"Fine they woke up once wanting changing then went back to sleep" Jim said "See you later"

"Thanks Jim…bye" Gail said

Gail walked into the kitchen and put the kettle on as she heard Helen come down the stairs. Looking up she smiled.

"How did your lunch date go?" Helen asked

Gail smiled "Fine…Paul managed to get Elle settled in five minutes and we enjoyed a picnic lunch" she said "I didn't mean to be so long but Paul wasn't in a hurry to go back to work"

"That's fine..the boys have been really good" Helen said "What time is Paul coming home tonight?"

"He says no later than 6pm…but we'll see, you know how things crop up" Gail replied, as she poured milk into the mugs of coffee. Carrying them over to the coffee table, her and Helen sat down.

"Paul tells me that Jim had a phone call from Julie last night" Gail said "She wants to know when the babies' christening is"

Helen laughed "Yes…I think she feels that as she's Paul's sister she has an automatic right to be godparent…but that is for you two to decide" she said

"I told Paul it's up to him" Gail said "I'm not going to come between them…although I have to say that he's made up his mind that he doesn't want her as godparent."

"I don't think Julie realises how much she upset Paul at Christmas or Jim for that matter" Helen said

"I don't understand what her problem was…I mean she just didn't like seeing Paul happy, and as for what she did to Lucy…that was so unnecessary" Gail said

"From speaking to her last night she's having marital problems" Helen said "Phil apparently didn't want to come down and they had an argument about that…the kids aren't happy either. She says she thinks Phil is cheating on her because he's out all hours, in fact I get the feeling that they're almost living separate lives…just staying together for the sake of the kids"

"That's sad…I know how it feels to have someone cheat on you, Jeremy was the biggest cheat going. Luckily I don't have that problem with Paul, although I had a chat with Prue before I went into the office and she thinks that one of the new Office Assistants has a crush on him. Can't think why" Gail laughed raising her eyes to the ceiling

"That's my grandson you're talking about" Helen smiled "Actually he has got a reputation for starting relationships with his staff"

"Hmm I know but that's in the past. I could never trust Jeremy but Paul is different, I know I can trust him" Gail said "Besides between the business and the babies he hasn't much time or energy for anything else"

"I'm glad to hear that" Helen said "But make sure you have time for each other; don't let the babies drain all your energy, let us help you"

Gail glanced at her daughter still lying asleep in the pram "We will but we don't want you to think we're taking advantage, there's no point having these children if we're going to let someone else bring them up." She said

Helen smiled "All the same it does you good to spend time together without the babies" she said

Gail smiled "Don't worry, I intend to make the most of any time I get with my husband" she said "Do you want me to talk to Paul, ask him to reconsider letting Julie be a godparent or at least invite her to the christening?"

"No…after the way she treated you at Christmas…I don't think so. Who knows she'll probably be in touch with you two soon enough" Helen said "The other thing is I don't think Lucy will be too pleased to see her"

Paul looked at his watch, it was 5pm. The day seemed to have dragged although he had been busy catching up on what had been happening at the complex during his absence. He felt relieved in the knowledge that the new office staff were able to manage whilst Rosemary was away. Picking up some files he placed them in his briefcase to take home. There was a travel agent convention booked for the following day but it appeared everything was under control and his presence wasn't really needed. Walking out of the office he advised the receptionist that he was leaving and if needed could be contacted at home, before going to the car park he walked to the conference room to check with his office staff and advised them that he would be working from home and wouldn't be back into the office before Friday. Getting into the car he glanced at his watch again and was pleased to see it was just gone 5 and no later.

Gail sat feeding Robert as Paul opened the door, he walked over to her and kissed her and the baby, before putting his briefcase down and taking his jacket off by the desk.

"Hey" Gail said "I didn't expect you this early, I hadn't even thought about dinner"

"Don't worry about it…where's the other two?" Paul said

"Upstairs…they've been fed and bathed" Gail said "Just this little one left"

Paul laughed "How did you manage that" he said

"Helen just left…she's been here practically most of the afternoon, the other two woke at four so we decided to try and get them fed and changed and settled. Hopefully they'll sleep for a couple of hours and won't need a feed before 9pm" Gail said

Paul sat down beside them and put his arm around Gail "Didn't I tell you that we would manage" he said

Gail looked at him and rested her head on his shoulder, Paul looked down at the baby in her arms.

"Three babies all at once just seemed daunting" Gail said "Hey do you want to finish feeding him while I get you a coffee"

"Sure" Paul smiled as Gail handed the baby to him "This one is the best behaved of the three of them"

"The trick is to soothe the other two first and get them fed, because Robert will wait" Gail said standing up "Even as young as he is, sometimes I see a bemused look on his face when the other two are screaming, as though he's wondering what all the fuss is about" Gail said as she walked to the kitchen. Paul stood up feeding the baby and walked over to her.

"So how was your afternoon?" Gail asked "Did you get everything done that you needed to or do you have to go in tomorrow"

Paul looked at Robert and smiled "No…there's a travel convention in one of the conference rooms which the staff can handle, they know where I'll be if need be…mind you it might be better you going…after all it's more your expertise than mine" he said

Gail laughed "What and leave you with these three…"

"I'm sure I could manage besides Gran's only next door" Paul replied "I missed this today, I just didn't want to be in the office, I wanted to be here with you"

"Well that's something new for you" Gail laughed "I missed you too and so did the babies…you still intend to work from here tomorrow?"

"Of course" Paul said, looking at Robert he screwed his nose up in disgust "Robert, did you have to do that"

The baby looked at him and Paul thought he saw a trace of a smile

"Did you see that he smiled" Paul said "He's also filled his nappy"

"I'll take him upstairs and get his bath ready" Paul said

"Okay, I'll just put the dinner on and I'll be up" Gail replied

A short while later Gail followed Paul upstairs and found him in the bathroom, bathing Robert. Walking up behind him, she planted a kiss on his neck, Paul turned slightly.

"Hey" he smiled

"Hey yourself" she replied "How's our son?"

Paul looked at the baby, kicking in the bath "He's fine…doesn't seem very sleepy at the moment though. I checked on the other two and they're fast asleep" Paul said

"Hopefully they'll stay that way for a little longer" Gail said

After putting Robert down to sleep, Paul and Gail crept out of the nursery, hoping not to disturb the other two sleeping. After dinner they sat curled up on the sofa.

"This is lovely" Paul said "Those three safely tucked up in bed"

Gail looked at him and smiled "I know but I wouldn't be without them, for all the sleepless nights they put us through" she said

"I agree" Paul replied "But it will get easier, time goes so quickly they'll be in school before we know it"

"Don't say that" Gail said "I don't want time to go that quick"

"Neither do I" Paul laughed "Hey, talking of time it's our anniversary next month"

Gail laughed "Yeah…two years since we renewed our vows but almost three years since we got married" she said starting to fold the washing on the coffee table "Hopefully it will be better than last year"

Paul rolled his eyes "Don't remind me" he said "This year I plan on making up for last year, so Mrs Robinson what do you want to do?"

Gail laughed "Well we have a slight problem…we can't really go out!" she said

"We could always ask dad to babysit" Paul

Gail looked at him and laughed

"What did I say" Paul asked innocently

Gail shook her head "I can imagine it now "Hi dad, happy anniversary by the way can you babysit for us tonight" I don't think so do you?" she replied

"Whoops I forgot about that" Paul said "So how about I arrange a romantic evening in"

"Mmm no harm in a romantic night in" Gail said "music, wine, candles and each other that's all we need"

"Sounds good to me" Paul replied

"Changing the subject slightly" Gail said "I spoke to Helen today about Julie when I got back"

Paul stayed quiet

"She thinks that part of the problem at Christmas was that Julie is having marital problems" Gail continued

Paul rolled his eyes relaxing back in to the sofa "Darling that is no excuse for her attitude, besides I don't know why she wants to come to the triplets christening anyway, she kept telling us how much better Hannah was than our three" he said

Gail smirked "No that's impossible…" she said "Our three children are amazing…they'll special each one of them"

Paul smiled "I know and we'll make sure they know that every day of their lives" he said "Okay so what marital problems has Jules come up with to get the sympathy vote from Gran?"

Gail chastised Paul mildly for not taking Julie's possible marital difficulties seriously and explained what Helen and mentioned to her earlier that day.

Paul rolled his eyes "Well she knew what he was like when she married him" he said

Gail looked at him, slightly curious by Paul's words

"Well he was already married when he started seeing Jules, Phil was going to divorce his wife for her but their daughter Debbie tried to commit suicide so Phil stayed in the marriage, it was when his wife died that he came back to Jules" Paul said "I guess once a cheat always a cheat…can't imagine that Julie was the first"

"Why are some relationships so complicated" Gail said "I mean why can't people stay faithful to each other, why do they always have to think that there's something better waiting"

Paul kissed her forehead "I don't know…but I'm glad I've got you"

Gail smiled and kissed him "I love you" she said "though that doesn't work out whether Julie should come to the christening?"

Paul thought for a moment and sighed "I guess if she calls here we'll have to invite her especially if she finds out that Scott and Charlene are coming down but there's still no way she's going to be a godparent" he said "We also might have another problem"

"What?" Gail asked

"Well I can't imagine Lucy being too thrilled to see her" Paul said "The last thing I want to do is cause a rift between us and Lucy by her thinking that we've asked Jules to the christening so everything is alright between us"

"Don't worry…let me talk to Luce" Gail said "I think she'll be fine, once I've explained that we can't not invite her as she's still family"

Standing up Paul walked over to his briefcase and took out a copy of the hotel brochure, Gail watched him curiously "thought you might like to see this"

"I had the hotel brochure redone, well as Jane's gone and we've now got new members of staff in the office, the brochure needed a revamp" Paul said, handing Gail the copy

Gail looked at it, thinking about how upset she had felt when Paul had removed her name from it and replaced it with Jane's. She knew that it made good business sense but all the same it had upset her. Turning to the back, she was pleasantly surprised "Paul you put my picture back on the brochure" she said smiling

"I should never have taken it off, you were still my partner, and we put most of our money into the business which makes us joint directors" he said

"But you know that I'm not going to have much time for the hotel these days; not in the near future anyway" Gail said turning to look at him as he sat back down

"It doesn't matter, we were always a great team, we've made that place what it is today so you deserve acknowledgement as a director as much as I do" Paul said "Besides we can share the responsibilities of the children and the hotel, there's no reason that you can't still work and let me look after the babies"

Gail smiled "Maybe in the future sometime" she said

The following few weeks past quickly, Paul continued to go into the office from time to time but also worked from home for a few days each week, Rosemary returned to handle the day to day running of the hotel, but Paul and Gail both knew that the time would come when she would go back home permanently and they needed to be prepared for that day. The sun shining through the curtains woke Paul on a bright Valentines Day morning, smiling he snuggled closer to Gail, placing his arm around her, he gently kissed her on her cheek, feeling her move in her sleep. Paul knew she was tired as they had both got up twice in the night to feed the babies, and hadn't really got to sleep until 5am, now everything was peaceful so he decided to go downstairs and make breakfast. Kissing Gail once more he got up and put his dressing gown on, turning round to check on his wife once more before leaving the room. Quietly going into the nursery he checked on the babies, walking up to Robert's cot he gently placed his fingers lightly on the baby's cheek, smiling at how peaceful he looked. Walking over to the other two cots he checked on them, seeing everything was okay he walked downstairs, picking up the coffee mugs from the night before as he passed the coffee table. Placing them in the sink he then went and busied himself with preparing breakfast. Twenty minutes later he went upstairs, smiling that Gail was still asleep; he placed the tray on the floor and gently kissed her.

"Wake up sleepy head!" he whispered into her ear as he placed the tray on the bed.

Gail stirred and opened her eyes looking up at Paul staring down at her "Hey, what time is it?" she asked

"Just after 8am" Paul replied as he kissed her.

"You should have woken me" Gail yawned "Are the babies okay?"

Paul laughed "They're fine…still sleeping" he said, picking up the tray "I thought you deserved a lie in and I wanted to make breakfast today"

Gail sat up "So what do I owe this to?" she said, as he climbed back in beside her.

"Does that have to be a reason, why I bring breakfast upstairs for my wife?" he laughed

"No, I guess not" she said, kissing him "Come on let's eat, before it goes cold or the children wake up"

Paul turned and reached inside his beside cabinet, turning to Gail he kissed her "Happy Valentines Day" he said, handing her a small parcel.

"Paul, you shouldn't have" she beamed, as she opened the present. Paul watched her face as she saw the tiny ring inside the box.

"Paul it's beautiful" she said "But you've already given me your mother's engagement ring"

Paul smiled "I know…but I wanted to get you something special for this anniversary especially with the way things were last year and I guess I thought an eternity ring was a nice idea" he said, as he took her hand.

Gail smiled and kissed him "It's brilliant, I love it" she said

Taking the ring out of the box, he placed it on her finger.

"I didn't forget you" she said, as she lent over to her bedside cabinet, taking out her gift.

Paul laughed "You do realise that breakfast has probably gone cold now" he said as he took the gift from her.

"Who cares" Gail said "I love cold toast"

Paul opened the present and smiled at the new watch inside "Just what I need, my watch broke the other day" he said

"I know" Gail replied "Which is why I brought you a new one"

Paul turned the watch over and smiled at the inscription on the back "Gail..it's perfect, I sometimes wonder what I did to deserve you" he said "I love you so much"

Gail looked at him, gently she stroked his face "I love you too and there is nothing that could ever take me away from you" looking down at the bare finger on his left hand she frowned "Although I sometimes think that perhaps you should wear a wedding ring"

Paul looked at her "I don't need a wedding ring to prove I'm married to you" he said

Gail remained quiet for a moment, knowing he was right but thinking that maybe she'd change that at some point.

Paul kissed her "Come on let's eat before all my hard work this morning goes to waste" he said,

An hour later, they had finished their breakfast and got dressed. Going into the nursery they checked on the babies, Paul had the breakfast tray in his hand, Lucinda and Cameron were sleeping peacefully but Robert was lying quietly in his cot, but clearly awake. The couple looked down at him, marvelling at how he could be so patient when the other two didn't seem to have a patient bone in their body. The baby kicked and Paul saw what he thought was a trace of a smile.

"Come on let's take him downstairs with us and leave these two sleep for a little longer" Paul said

Gail gently picked up Robert and went and checked on the other two who were still sleeping.

"What's wrong?" Paul asked

Gail laughed "Nothing…just checking they're okay" she said, "Hey why don't you take the tray downstairs and make some more coffee while I change this little one"

Paul smiled and kissed her, marvelling at how his heart seemed to melt when he saw her with the children, he loved her more now than he ever had.

"What's wrong with you?" Gail asked as she turned to see him staring at her, as she placed the baby on the changing table.

"Nothing" He said "Just thinking how lucky I am...right I'm going to take this tray downstairs" kissing her gently before he walked out of the nursery. A few minutes Gail joined him downstairs as he was in the process of making the coffee. Paul turned when he heard her.

"Are the other two still asleep?" He asked

"Yeah" she replied

As Gail started the washing up and preparing further feeds they discussed what they might do that day and settled on a walk and a cosy night in to celebrate their anniversary. They were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"I'll get that before it wakes up Elle and Cameron" Paul said quickly as he finished the drying up. As he walked over to the front door he peaked at Robert in the basinet contentedly kicking the covers. Jim laughed when he saw Paul still dressed in his pyjamas and dressing gown.

"What is this...9 O'clock and still in your pyjamas Paul?" Jim said

Paul laughed "Yeah well your grandchildren got us up at 4am this morning, we didn't get back to sleep much before 5am" he said

"Aha the joys of parenthood, you did the same to me" Jim laughed "So are they still asleep?"

"Elle and Cameron are, Robert's down here in the basinet" Paul said "Do you want a coffee?"

"Sure" Jim replied

"Hi Jim" Gail said as she tidied the kitchen

"So what have you two got planned for the day?" Jim asked "I presume you're not going to work Paul"

"Nope, Rosemary offered to cover for me today" Paul replied "We're probably just going to take the children for a walk and get a takeaway later"

"Thought you might have been going out tonight seeing as it's valentine's day "Jim said

"What and leave these three home alone...nah Gail won't let me do that" Paul said smiling

"Well it's still not too late to do something, I can babysit for you" Jim said

"But we thought you'd be going out yourself" Gail said as she walked in to the lounge with Jim's coffee "Especially as it's your anniversary"

Jim laughed "Well I did plan on going out but Beverley informed me today that she's working, so I thought I'd see if you two wanted a babysitter" he said

Paul looked at Gail questioningly "What do you think?"

Gail thought for a moment, the babies were still small and she wasn't sure she wanted to leave them for too long but dinner out did sound inviting. "Are you sure Jim?" she asked

"Sure, I'm sure I can convince Helen to join me, the kids are out" Jim said

"Okay" Gail said "Thanks Jim"

"Well at least you two can enjoy your anniversary" Jim said

"I'll makes some phone calls shortly and see if we can find a restaurant that isn't booked up" Paul said "Unless of course you want to go to Lassiters"

Jim rolled his eyes "I'm sure you can think of somewhere more romantic than Lassiters Paul" he said

"Only joking" Paul replied

"You had better be matey" Gail said standing up, "Well I'm going to get dressed and check on the other two"

Jim watched her go; turning to Paul he said "She seems happy"

Paul smiled "I think things have settled down these past few weeks, we're learning to cope with the babies and of course Rosemary's help at the office has been great, it's allowed me to take time out to spend here"

"Do you know how long Rosemary is going to be here for?" Jim asked

"Another month roughly and then she needs to go back to America, after all she has her own business to oversee. She said she was happy to be contacted if there was anything else she could do though" Paul said

"That's good...just make sure you don't throw yourself into work again" Jim said

"I never realised how much I neglected her during the pregnancy, or how lonely she must have been. Eventually, if she wants, we could try to job share though and I plan to work from home maybe two of three days a week" Paul replied

"We'll always a phone call away" Jim remarked

"We know" Paul said "And it's appreciated"

"It's very easy to jump in and try and take over but we know that you need some space to learn to cope with these three" Jim said

"Well I better get to work?" Jim said "How about we come around at 7pm?"

Thanks dad" Paul replied as Jim let himself out.

Later that day, Gail walked into the nursery to find Paul deep in thought staring down at one of the babies in its cot after taking the laundry upstairs. Quietly she walked up behind him, placing her arms around his waist, she put her lips to his ear and whispered.

"It's amazing...my husband the ruthless, hard businessman softened by three small babies"

Paul quietly laughed and turned in her arms, placing his arms around her neck he replied "I am not ruthless...besides these three aren't the only ones that can soften me"

"Hmm that's nice to hear" Gail said kissing him "Are you nearly ready to go...Jim and Helen will be here soon"

Paul smiled and turned to look at the baby "These three are changing all the time, each day you can see something different in them" he said "Just wondering if we're doing the right thing leaving them"

Gail smiled "Darling we're not leaving them with strangers, we're leaving them with their grandparents and I'm sure Jim or Helen will contact us if there's any problems" she said, looking down at the baby in front of them "Are Robert and Elle asleep, it's unusual for Cameron to be awake he always goes to sleep straight after being fed during the evening"

"Enjoying the attention" Paul said

Paul laughed as Gail gently lifted the baby out of the cot, gently speaking to him as she stroked his back.

"I wasn't going to do that" Paul said "You know what it's like once you pick them up"

"I'll try and get him back to sleep while you finish getting ready" Gail replied

Paul gently kissed the baby's cheek "Okay" he said kissing Gail before he walked out the room. Gail continued to walk round the nursery gently rocking the baby and softly speaking to him. After a while she felt the baby's head get heavy on her shoulder and then heard the soft sound of breathing, smiling she placed him back in the cot, pulling the sheet over him to keep him warm.

"Is he asleep?" Paul asked as she walked into their room

"Yes" she smiled "with the possible sound of a snore...the boys definitely take after you"

"I don't snore" Paul replied

Gail laughed and walked over to him, giving him a hug "You do so but it doesn't matter...as I still love you" she said

"I love you too" he replied, kissing her

Having left details of the restaurant with Jim and Helen, Paul and Gail set off. On arriving at the restaurant, Paul presented Gail with a bouquet of roses that he had organised to be delivered to the restaurant.

"You're spoiling me" Gail laughed "Breakfast in bed...the eternity ring and a bouquet of roses"

Paul reached for her hand "You deserve it" he replied "I was thinking about our anniversary last year....wasn't much to celebrate was there"

"Oh Paul there were parts of last year that were terrible but we came through it together, and this year has been so much better, especially with the babies" Gail said

"Yeah even with the early morning feeds" Paul laughed raising his eyes to the ceiling

"We're getting used to it and it's becoming easier to settle them once they've been fed" Gail said sipping the wine

"Dad told me this morning that they're always available if we need them but he knows that we also need to have the space to look after our family ourselves" Paul said

"He should be out celebrating his anniversary with Beverley instead of babysitting our three" Gail remarked feeling slightly guilty for his babysitting

"Yeah, but if she was scheduled to work there's not much he could do about it" Paul said I sometimes wonder if he still thinks about mum, whether he still misses her even though he has Beverley"

"I doubt he'll ever forget your mum, they went through a lot together...had four children" Gail smiled

"Hey it's funny I can see a lot of you in Elle, but I can also see Lucy in her too" Paul said "And I know that dad always said that Lucy was the one who reminded him most of mum"

"Yes and the boys look exactly like you in your baby photos, just hope they don't grow up with your ego" Gail said

"Hmm we need another girl don't we, to even things out" Paul said

Gail laughed "Can we get the babies out of nappies first before even thinking about that one" she said smiling

"I didn't mean now but maybe sometime in the future if you wanted to and we are in the right situation" Paul said "I know Jules used to find Lucy tagging along with her a bit of a nuisance"

"Yeah well I don't think she'll have to worry about that anymore not after her performance at Christmas! " Gail said "I don't know that your dad has completely forgiven Julie for what she said"

"You're right there, I mean dad is all about family but he doesn't seem that bothered about her not coming to the christening" Paul said "There's something else going on there…dad just doesn't seem interested in her family…even before everything started off with Lucy he didn't seem to want to spend time with Hannah"

"It wasn't brilliant timing…our three were still in hospital and I guess he was concerned about them" Gail said "So getting back to your idea of another baby…"

"Aha didn't think you were interested in that!" Paul laughed

"Hmm but if it did happen I don't want to go through what I went through the last time" Gail said

A silence fell over them as the waiter brought them their food, Paul thought about what Gail had just said and realized how hard things had been for her during the pregnancy. Once the waiter left he resumed the conversation.

"I never meant to hurt you Gail, I got caught up in the Robinson Corporation, then with Hilary on my back all the time…and the fear of what happened to mum, I lost sight of us….I threw myself into work and pretended that everything was okay, but it wasn't" Paul said sadly "I promise the next time will be different"

"The sad thing was darling…you should have been able to talk to me…we're a team, a good one at that" Gail said "We need to get our finances sorted out before we even think about IVF again"

"In a couple of years we'll be there I guarantee it" Paul said "The hotel is doing well, and thanks to you we've got the travel conventions contract"

"I didn't do anything" Gail laughed

"No but Peter Llewellyn remembered dealing with you before and was happy with the way you dealt with things so was prepared to give us his business" Paul said "You're the best PR that anyone could wish for"

Gail laughed "And of course you're not bias" she said

Paul laughed "Maybe just a little" he smiled

"Are you going into work tomorrow?" Gail asked

Paul shook his head "No…there's still things to sort out for the christening on Sunday, unless of course you want me out of the way" he replied

"Never" Gail said "It will be good to see Scott and Charlene again, when are they coming down?"

"Friday evening" Paul said "They're staying with Madge and Harold.

"Helen's helping me with the buffet" Gail said "I think we've got the service organized now it's just a matter of making sure the babies behave themselves"

"Hmm..are you telling me to go into work tomorrow?" Paul said "You seem to have everything organized"

Gail shook her head "I'm not looking forward to you going back to work full time to be honest, I've got so used to you being around" she said

Paul took her hand "I told you I'm not going back to the office full time…we'll sort something out, maybe I could work two long days…the rest can be covered by the new staff and I'll work from home" he said "I have no intentions of creating a situation where you even think about walking out on me" he said

"I don't think that is likely to happen…I love you too much to do that" she said

"If you want we could job share when the babies get a little older plus don't forget that we have the crèche " Paul said

Gail laughed "Let's not make these three grow up too soon" she said

After finishing their meal, Paul paid the bill and the couple returned to Ramsay Street. Paul helped Gail out of the car, placing his arm around her shoulder he guided her to the front door. Gail leaned into him and gently kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks for tonight…the meal was lovely" Gail said

Paul smiled "Yes but the company was better" he said, opening the front door, everything seemed to be quiet inside. Jim looked up from the sofa as the couple walked in.

"How was your evening?" he asked

"Fine" Gail said "Where's Helen?"

"She's just putting Robert back to bed" Jim said "They've all been fed and changed, so should be quiet for another couple of hours"

"Thanks dad" Paul replied "Have they been okay?"

"Yes" Jim replied

After Paul prepared a drink for them all they sat down in the lounge and discussed the plans for the christening.

After saying goodnight to Jim and Helen, Gail picked up the coffee mugs and took them to the kitchen; Paul shut the door and followed her. As Gail started the washing up Paul placed his arms around her waist and kissed her on the neck, she turned and kissed him tenderly on the lips, pulling him closer to her.

"Hey come on" She said smiling "let's call it a night this washing up can wait"

Paul and Gail sat in the church, the sun shone brightly through the windows, Gail looked at Elle lying peacefully in her arms then over at Cameron asleep in Paul's, on the opposite side of her Lucy sat cuddling Robert, at the moment he was still awake, watching closely as Lucy occupied him with the rattle. Surrounded by the Robinson Family Gail felt safe and secure but also a tinge of sadness that her dad wasn't with her, Paul sensed her apprehension and gently placed his arm around her. Reverend Sampson motioned for them to approach the font, Lucy placed the rattle on the pew and went out first, Gail followed noticing how peaceful Elle seemed in her arms. Gail gave a sigh of relief as the Reverend took Cameron and then Robert in turn in his arms, neither were concerned when he sprinkled water on their foreheads, he then reached for Elle, Gail looked at her tiny daughter, knowing any minute the peace was going to be shattered. Reverend Sampson looked at the sleeping child, as he sprinkled the Baptismal water onto Elle's forehead, Gail saw the child's eyes opened, confused by being in the arms of a strange man she opened her mouth and screamed in protest at being woken up. The reverend quickly handed the baby back to Gail, looking at Paul she stifled a laugh. Once the service at the font had finished Gail took the crying baby outside, to try and calm her down, walking up and down the church yard she spoke softly to her, rubbing her back, footsteps behind her made her turn around.

"Where's Cameron?" she said smiling at Paul

Paul moved closer to her, placing his hand on her back "He's with Scott, thought I'd come and check on you two...how is she?"

Gail laughed "She's fine…having cold water sprinkled on you when you're asleep and then find when you wake up it's in the arms of a strange man is not on…she was just making her feelings known" she said looking at the baby who seemed to have gone quiet.

"She definitely has a temper on her" Paul said

Gail laughed "She's going to have to be able to stick up for herself with two brothers to boss her around" she said "Come on I think it's safe to go back inside"

After the service the family returned to No 22, the babies were placed in the basinets downstairs while Gail and Helen got the buffet ready.

"That was a nice service" Helen said

Gail smiled "It was…apart from Elle" she laughed

"You knew she was going to do that didn't you" Helen remarked

"Well let's put it this way I knew if anyone of the triplets were going to make a fuss it would be Elle" Gail said "Although she's pretty easy to calm down once she starts"

"I also noticed how Lucy zooms in on Robert all the time, no one has a chance" Helen laughed

"I did wonder if the novelty would wear off, but it doesn't seem to have…Robert adores her that's one of the reasons I didn't hesitate to make her a godmother" Gail said

"How are you feeling?" Helen asked

"I'm fine…slightly sad that dad isn't here" Gail replied

"I know" Helen said "But you have us, Gloria…and of course Paul"

Later that night Paul and Gail watched the children sleep, it had been a long day and they had finally managed to get the three to sleep. Scott and Charlene had stayed with them for a while after the rest of the family had left, helping them to clear up and feed and bathe the babies, now they were alone. Paul wrapped his arms around Gail, as they stood in the nursery.

"What are you thinking" He whispered.

Gail laughed quietly "What makes you think I'm thinking anything" she said turning to face him

Paul kissed her forehead "Because I know you better than you know yourself" he smirked

"Today was amazing, I just feel so lucky…I've got you, the babies and the rest of your family" she said "But I wish dad was here to share it…he was looking forward to these three"

Paul sighed "Maybe he's looking down on you" he said

Gail frowned "Never thought I'd hear that from you" she said

"Gail I know my situation is slightly different, because mum has been gone for so long but don't you think I still miss I would have loved her to have been here with us" Paul said "When Lucy was little and used to ask dad about mum he always told her that she was watching her, looking out for her…maybe it's true I don't know"

"It's a nice thought" Gail said

"Gail I want for us and our family what my mum and dad had, we always knew that they loved us…they were always there for us and we never doubted that they loved each other, I want these children to know how special they grow up surrounded by two loving parents who love each other"

Gail was silent for a moment "You know after we told dad we had arranged a wedding date, and you had left for the evening…he gave me some advice…to marry for love and love only as that was the only thing that made anything worth while…I remember after he had gone back upstairs saying…love was for fools..at that point I believed it but at the end of the day he was right and I was wrong." She said

Paul smiled, looking back at the sleeping babies he said "Maybe our feelings were stronger than we cared to admit at that time but at the end of the day, love kept us together…it stopped you taking that promotion in New York, it gave life to these three children"

Gail smiled "I love you so much" she said "I can't imagine being anywhere else but here with you"

"Come on it's been a long day…let's leave these three to sleep" Paul said, putting his arm around her and pulling her closer to him, switching off the main nursery light and putting on the night light.


	11. Chapter 11

"What's going on here? Wall to wall grouch Robinson women?" Paul said as he entered number 22, briefcase in hand, hearing the unmistakable cry of his young daughter.

"Careful Robbo. You'll be wearing this shortly" Gail said, gesturing at him with a bottle in her hand.

Paul gave his wife a cheeky smile and moved to where she sat on the sofa, holding their daughter, looking down at the baby and seeing her face pink with crying he said 'Lucinda Anne, what is going on? Six months old today as well....hardly something to cry about"

At the sound of his voice, the crying ceased as the baby looked up at him, Gail rolled her eyes and handed her to him saying "She's tired ....these teeth are getting to her"

"Poor thing...she's usually so good" he said as he looked down adoringly at his daughter.

Gail laughed "She is, but the boys have been angels compared to her today"

"So how was work today?" Gail enquired. Rosemary had left for America 2 weeks ago, and the Robinson Corporation was again having to manage its own workload. The employment of a couple of new key staff had helped to ease the burden somewhat.

Well, Janette is working out quite well.

"Is she the marketing graduate?"

"Yes." Paul gazed down at his daughter, who finally settled in his arms and was contentedly sucking her thumb. "She is a great help. Nice kid"

"Pretty too, Paul. Helen commented she might hold a bit of a torch for you."

"Gail, honestly. She is hardly my type" he smirked at her. Showing her those dimples she saw in her sons more every day that passed.

"Oh really...and just what is Paul Robinson's type?" Gail said curtly busying herself in the kitchen preparing dinner.

Paul laughed as he placed Lucinda on the sofa, "Well if you don't know that by now...I'm not telling you!" he replied, walking over towards her.

Glancing behind him to check Lucinda was safe on the sofa, Gail continued with dinner. Paul watched her, sensing the change in moods, he walked up behind her, placing his arms around her waist, gently kissing her neck.

"Hey come on....the only woman I have eyes for is you...you know that" he said softly

Gail turned in his arms but kept her distance "But does she know that?" she said

Paul looked at her, slightly confused, Gail shook her head "Oh come on Paul...a pretty girl...keen to make an impression both personally and professionally...late nights at the office...one thing leads to another" she said "We hardly have any time for each other as it is, you're at the office and when you're home the babies are usually demanding attention. I guess no one could blame you if a pretty girl gives you the attention you're lacking"

Paul shook his head "I don't believe you just said that" he said rolling his eyes "I've never really thought of it that way but perhaps I should have. I've never had to before because it's been you, me and Jane, who was more like a younger sister in the office so the issue has never come up before"

Gail looked at him with a knowing frown "What about Susan Cole or Crystal for that matter?" she said, sarcastically

Paul frowned, quietly but firmly he replied "You know that wasn't the same with Susan, I've told you everything that happened and why with her. As for Crystal I can't really say I had a relationship with her"

"You spent quite a bit of time with her, if I recall rightly" Gail said

"No Gail...that's where you're wrong...it was one night out, after the fuss with Lucy when she saw us together I never went out with her again" Paul said "I'm slightly confused here Gail, are you accusing me of something?"

"Why have you done something?" she replied without thinking, slightly wishing she could take the words back. From the living room they heard the sound of Elle starting to become unsettled, Gail sighed and went over to her, giving her a teething ring and calming her down before going back to Paul in the kitchen.

Paul looked at her in disbelief, slightly angry and slightly hurt that she could even think to make an accusation like she had just done "I don't believe it...you don't trust me" he said angrily "How many times do I have to tell you I'm not Jeremy"

Gail looked at him "I know how these things start...gentle flirtation in the office and suddenly you're not coming home at night or you're working late" she said with tears stinging her eyes.

"Where is all this coming from? Has someone said something?" Paul asked

"Madge just mentioned how well you two were getting on the other day when she went into the office, very cosy from what I gather" Gail replied

"What did Madge say?" Paul asked "I can't even remember her coming in?" His frustration and tiredness beginning to show in his voice.

"She said you were deep in conversation" Gail said

"Gail...she's my employee I have to work closely with her" Paul said angrily "But that is all"

"Fine" Gail said shaking her head in frustration

"Fine" Paul said angrily, looking towards the living room he calmed slightly at the sight of his daughter "I'm going to get Elle ready for bed before I say something I might regret"

Gail watched him walk over and pick Elle up; suddenly she felt a sense of emptiness as she watched him carry the baby upstairs. Sighing she decided they both needed some space and set about making dinner. Paul walked into the nursery, setting Elle down in her cot while he prepared her bath, checking on the two boys, Robert was asleep but Cameron lay awake in the cot.

After an hour, Gail couldn't take the silence anymore and walked upstairs; looking into the nursery she saw Robert and Elle peaceful in their cots, gently stroking her daughter's face she thought how Paul always seemed to be able to calm her down. Walking into their bedroom she saw Paul lying on the bed talking to Cameron.

"I see you got Elle asleep finally" Gail remarked

Paul looked at her "Yeah...I think she's worn herself out today, just trying to get this little one to sleep now" he replied, turning away from her and going back to the baby.

"I just thought I'd tell you that dinner's ready" Gail said quietly.

"I'll be down in a minute" he said not looking at her.

Gail sighed and walked downstairs, she sensed there was a wall between her and Paul and she knew it was her fault; she was still unsure what brought about her outburst. She knew that Paul wasn't Jeremy but it still didn't alter the fact that she hated the thought of him working closely with another woman. Ten minutes later Paul walked downstairs and sat down; they ate their dinner in an uncomfortable silence. She watched him play with his food, sighing she got up from the table, his voice made her turn around.

"I hate it when you won't talk to me Gail" he said

"I don't want to fight with you...but I also know what can happen...sometimes you have no control over situations" she said sitting back down.

Paul took her hand "Well if I can help it nothing will happen" he said

"I want to believe you...but I keep remembering Jeremy and all his promises" Gail replied

"How many times Gail...I'm not Jeremy" he said gently stroking her face "I love you too much to hurt you like that and besides do you really think I would do anything to risk losing this family?"

"No" Gail replied quietly, the tears gently spilling down her cheeks.

Paul stood up and crouched beside her chair, wrapping his arms around her he kissed her cheek "Then what are we arguing about" he said

"I don't know...I guess I just got jealous of another woman spending time with you" she said

"But she's isn't spending time with me...we're working that's all" Paul said "Hey come on why don't you go and sit down and I'll wash up then you can tell me about your day"

The following morning Paul woke up early, looking across at Gail he noticed she was still asleep, the babies' had only got them up once in the night, it seemed they were sleeping longer during the night which was a relief to both he and Gail. Deciding he no longer wanted to stay in bed he got up, putting on his dressing gown and wandered into the nursery. Checking on Robert and Elle he saw they were both asleep then he went to Cameron's cot, where he was awake and started to fuss when he saw Paul. Paul picked him up and smiled

"Sssshhhh" He whispered "Let's take you downstairs before you wake your brother and sister" kissing the baby's head. Once downstairs Paul placed Cameron in the downstairs basinet and went and prepared a bottle, putting the coffee machine on as he did so. Ten minutes later he settled stretching out on the sofa with his feet up as he fed Cameron with his coffee. A little while later, Gail walked downstairs.

"Why didn't you wake me?" she asked sleepily

"You looked so peaceful I didn't want to disturb you" Paul replied giving her a kiss as she sat on the arm of the sofa behind him.

Looking at the baby she smiled "What is he doing up, the other two are fast asleep" Gail said

Paul looked at the baby "Oh he was awake when I walked into the nursery, so I thought I'd bring him down here and spend some quality time with him." Paul said "Sometimes I think this one gets forgotten, I mean Elle makes her presence known and Lucy spoils Robert"

"You once said that you thought this one and Elle would gang up on Robert" she said

Paul glanced at the baby before turning to her "The boys are similar, Cameron's calmed down so much these last couple of months that sometimes he seems the quieter of the two." He said "I just want these three to know they're all special and that they're loved"

Gail smiled "I think these three will grow up knowing that their dad loves them" she said

Paul sighed "What about their mum?" he said

Gail looked at him

"Well does she realise how much I love her and only her" he said

Gail smiled and kissed him "Yes...I'm sorry about last night...guess Elle just wore me down" she said "Here why don't you let me take him while you get ready for work"

Paul shook his head "No...I'm not going to work today?" he said

Gail raised her eyebrows "Why?"

"Um, because you are. You always said you could do my job as well as your own." Paul replied

"Are you serious?" Gail asked

"Never more so." Paul laughed

"You want me to leave you here, with our children, all day?" Gail said curiously

That's right Darling...after all they are our children" Paul said "Why don't you think I can cope?"

Gail smiled "It's not that.."

"What then?" Paul said

Gail rolled her eyes and laughed "Nothing "she said "I guess I better make breakfast and then get ready for work"

The day past slowly for Gail, part of her was happy to be working again but there was something missing, the new office staff were friendly enough although Janette left shortly before lunch, complaining of having a migraine, she missed the old days when it was just her, Paul and Jane in the office. Her day had been busy, there were a few major conventions coming up, she sighed when she thought how the next few weeks would be busy for Paul which probably meant she would see very little of him. Smiling she wondered how Paul was doing looking after the babies, wondering whether he had managed to persuade Helen to spend the day there. Six O'clock came and she decided it was time to go home, she missed her family and there wasn't much else that needed to be done that couldn't wait until Monday.

As she parked the car in the drive she was surprised that there wasn't any sound of crying coming from inside the house, quietly she opened the door and stepped inside, she heard Paul's voice coming from the kitchen so she walked towards him. She stopped in the alcove and inwardly laughed at the sight before her; the triplets were sat in their highchairs around the table, while Paul had the newspaper spread out on the table and seemed to be explaining stocks and shares to them, when to sell and when not to.

"So this is your idea of a bedtime story is it? Gail said, walking up to Paul smiling and placing her hand on his shoulder

Paul turned and stood up "Well they're never too young to learn" he said kissing her on the cheek "How was your day?"

"Fine" Gail said "Your workload is going to increase though, I checked your diary for the next month and you have three major conventions coming up"

Paul groaned "I know and I'm not looking forward to them to be honest... the days I lived for work are long gone" he said glancing at the children.

"By the way your assistant left early claiming she had a migraine" Gail said "Think she was missing you"

Paul rolled his eyes "Don't start" he said "Come on let's get these three to bed, dinner will be in an hour"

After putting the children to bed, Gail went into the laundry room to sort out some washing while Paul finished preparing dinner, she frowned at the mess before her, there were dirty clothes and nappies all over the floor. Sighing she set about clearing up, Paul smiled when she walked back in to the kitchen, seeing her look slightly unhappy he stopped what he was doing.

"What's wrong?" he asked

"Nothing" she said "How was your day?"

"Fine" Paul said "Those three are so easy to deal with"

"So what exactly is that mess in the laundry room I've just sorted?" Gail asked

"Oh" remembering Paul looked at the ground wishing it would swallow him up

Gail laughed "Okay what happened?"

"Three demanding babies" Paul said exasperated "You get one settled then the other one starts, and don't get me started on your daughter"

"My daughter? why what did she do and the last time I checked she was our daughter?" Gail said laughing out loud no longer able to hold back her tone of teasing.

"Oh I was feeding her some pureed vegetables and I had the dish on the table and wasn't really watching her, when the sneaky little madam reached out and pulled the dish over, I had pureed vegetable all over my pants"

"Oh darling I forgot to mention about that" Gail said "She has a habit of grabbing for things"

"Yep well I found that out didn't I" Paul said

"I know, I kind of guessed that when I found your trousers in the laundry room, along with the dirty nappies and empty jars of baby food" Gail said

Paul laughed "Yeah I realised that you would be coming home and I didn't want you to know how hopeless I am at looking after our children so I just put everything in there!" he said

"Darling you're not hopeless..it is difficult dealing with the three of them" Gail said "My day wasn't that great either to be honest, I missed you and the way things used to be in the office, I had to stop myself from phoning you four times today"

Paul smiled "So much for job swap" he said

"I don't know about that" Gail said "I could still go into work once a week and you could stay home, that's if you could put up with another day alone with our daughter"

Paul laughed "You know she reminds me of you" He said "I was so annoyed at having her food all over me but then she started smiling and I couldn't remain angry with her"

"Well us girls have to keep you on your toes" Gail replied

A few weeks later Paul was sat in his office after not having a good morning. For the past week he had been plagued with indigestion, he put it down to stress due to his increased workload, he looked at his watch, it was nearly lunchtime and he knew Gail would be joining him for lunch soon.

Janette sashayed into the office, holding two mugs of coffee. For the first time and as a result of Gail's comment, Paul noticed indifferently that she was a good looking woman, somewhat girlish despite being at least thirty, or so he guessed. Walking over to his side of the desk she perched on the edge of it while handing him the coffee.

"Thanks" he said briefly looking up at her. "But you didn't need to bring me a coffee it's nearly lunchtime"

"Oh, do I need an excuse to appreciate my boss? " Janette replied

That was just the sort of thing his wife would have said. He missed having Gail in the office, working with her, being able to share the whole day with her, he missed the children, just at the moment ten hours was too long to spend in the office.

"No, I guess not" he said, with a tired smile. God, he felt unwell. It wasn't just tiredness, his stomach was really sore. Neither he or Janette were aware of the outer office door opening as Gail walked in, hearing the sound of voices she moved closer to the inner office door quietly listening to the conversation.

"I was thinking maybe we could go out for a drink when we've finished here?" Janette said, placing her hand on Paul's arm tenderly.

Paul jumped at the touch and looked down at her hand, it wasn't what he expected from a colleague and felt uncomfortable, as he took Janette's wrist and removed her hand from his arm he said "ah, I don't think so" Paul said "I've got other things to do"

"But there's no harm in having a little fun, I'm sure you don't get much fun at home with three young children to look after" Janette said, moving slightly closer to him whilst perched on the desk. Paul was suddenly aware of Janette's dress attire and realised what Gail had previously said could in fact be true.

As the situation in the office continued Gail moved to the open door slowly, Janette had her back to the door so wasn't aware of her and Paul was looking at paperwork whilst talking to her.

"That's where you're wrong, I happen to enjoy being with my family, they mean everything to me and I'm not about to do anything to jeopardise that" Paul said as he got up and past Janette to put a file away.

"As far as I see it, who needs to know?" Janette said looking questioningly at Paul's shocked face.

Collecting more papers on his desk in a flurry due to his rising anger Paul adamantly stated "For once and for all Janette I am happily married with a family and that is not going to change. I will be completing your Probation Appraisal this afternoon. I will meet with you at 4pm to advise you accordingly" he said looking up and seeing Gail standing in the doorway.

Paul was at first startled by Gail's presence. Her face was a mixture of 'I told you so' and relief. Paul walked over to her, planting a kiss on her cheek before turning to Janette and telling her to that he was going to lunch.

As they sat down in the hotel restaurant where it was quieter than the Coffee Shop Gail looked at him, a bit concerned at how pale and tired he looked.

"Hey are you okay?" she said, placing her hand over his.

Paul squeezed her hand "Yes I'm fine, just really tired" he said "How much did you hear in the office"

Gail smiled reassuringly "Most of it" she said

Paul looked at her "You were right" He said "I can't believe that I didn't read the signals"

"Don't worry about it" Gail said "

"So how do we deal with this?" Paul asked "I'm not sure what to say to her in the Appraisal meeting"

"What do you want to do?" Gail asked

Paul sighed "If I let her go she could take me to an industrial tribunal for unfair dismissal, stating that I made a pass at her, but I don't want to work in an environment where I have to watch everything I do or say in case it is taken the wrong way" he said

"Look we have to look at the pros and cons, examine whether her work is satisfactory or not" Gail said

"You're right" Paul replied "Maybe I should have done that when we brought the business"

"Darling, we did the right thing then and we'll do the right thing now" Gail smiled "The most important thing is we're a team and we can sort this out together, so tell me honestly what is her work like"

Paul stared down, Gail could sense that he was nervous by the way he played with the menu, looking up at her he spoke "Well put it this way she's not Jane, even with the amount of experience she says she has, there have been a number of mistakes in the Home James accounts in the last few weeks as well as double bookings, which doesn't endear us to clients. Her filing is behind, in fact she reminds me of Melanie, in that I can't figure her filing system out, she's not made herself popular with the staff either, she thinks she's on a superior level because she's working in the office"

Gail looked at him curiously "Hang on, you previously said that everything was fine, that she was doing great" she said

Paul smiled "I lied, I didn't want to worry you, and you've got enough to cope with looking after the children without worrying about me and the business" he said

Gail rolled her eyes "We're still business partners" she said "I can increase my hours if you need more help; the children don't seem to mind the crèche too much"

Paul shook his head "No..it's okay I'll get onto the agency and start recruiting again" he replied

Gail looked at him and saw by the look on his face that he was in pain "Paul what's wrong...you don't look too good" she said

Paul faked a smile "I'm fine...just a touch of indigestion, that's all" he said

"Look why don't you leave the appraisals for tomorrow, go home I can look after things here" Gail said concerned and not quite believing that Paul was suffering from indigestion.

Paul smiled "No I want to get this over and done with" he said

Later that afternoon, Gail worked in the reception area while Paul did the appraisal. During the afternoon she had noticed how pale Paul was looking but decided not to push the issue, knowing he was already feeling stressed. She checked her watch and realised it was nearly half five, Paul had just shown Janette out but wasn't giving anything away about the appraisal, but gone directly back into the office. Standing up, she decided to follow him inside.

"How did it go?" she asked sitting in the chair opposite Paul

Paul propped his head on his hands on the desk and looked at her "Think she realised she embarrassed herself today, she told me she had given it some thought over the lunch hour and felt that this was not the right job for her, she's resigned" he said

"Oh darling you look tired, why don't you call it a night" Gail said "And you need to see the doctor, you haven't been sleeping well and it's not the children as they've more or less been sleeping through the night"

Paul sighed in frustration "Gail, I haven't got time for a doctor's appointment, now with Janette gone my workload has doubled" he said

"Okay" Gail said sensing the angry tone in Paul's voice, knowing that he was stressed "But please come home now"

Paul softened his tone, seeing the concerned look on Gail's face "No, darling I still have some things I need to finish tonight"

"I'm going to pick up the children now, please don't stay here for too long" she said, walking round to his side of the desk she kissed him.

"I won't" he said "I'll be in by 8 o'clock at the latest"

"I'll put dinner on for then" Gail smiled, as she started to walk towards the door

"Hey" Paul called causing her to turn around. "Love you"

Gail smiled "Love you too, now hurry up and come home" she said chastising him playfully

"Yes mam" Paul replied chuckling

Gail busied herself with getting the children ready for bed, Lucy popped in and offered to help and Gail felt slightly relieved to have some company as she was sure something was wrong with Paul yet she couldn't put her finger on it. After Lucy went home she started preparing dinner.

Sitting at his desk Paul suddenly felt the pain in his stomach get worse, getting up he went to pour himself another mug of coffee hoping that would ease some of the tension he felt. As he sat back down he grimaced, he felt sick but needed to continue for a while longer, there was so much he needed to get done but he also wanted to get home. Looking at his watch he saw that he still had an hour before Gail would have dinner ready and reluctantly he focused his mind on his work trying to put aside the pain that was increasing inside him.

Eight O'clock came and Paul had still not returned home, the sound of silence in the house unsettled her, Paul usually kept his promise and she felt something was wrong so she tried to keep busy with the laundry and tidying up. The ring of the phone startled her and convinced it would be Paul ringing to say he was just leaving she rushed to pick it up.

"Gail..."

She heard Paul's voice sounding weak over the phone line

"Darling..what's wrong?" she said concerned

"I'm not feeling too good, do you think you can you come and collect me, I don't want to drive" Paul said

She sensed the pain in his voice and immediately felt fear rise in her own but tried to disguise it. She knew Paul wouldn't admit to being unwell unless it was serious and she needed to get there urgently "Okay" she said "Give me five minutes to get a babysitter and I'll be there"

"Thanks" Paul said weakly trying to keep his voice level so not to alarm her unduly

After saying goodbye Gail made a phone call to Helen. She didn't want to alarm Helen so explained that Paul thought he was coming down with something so wanted a lift home. After making sure Helen was okay with the children Gail made her way to Lassiters as fast as she could, leaving her car at reception she rushed across past the Waterhole to the office where she could see the inner office light still on. As she reached the inner office she saw Paul slumped over his desk with his head leaning on his arm and thinking he was asleep she walked over to him to wake him gently she placed her hand on his back. His breathing seemed shallow and he didn't respond to her, suddenly Gail could feel her pulse race and panic rise from out of nowhere in her own body; she realised he was unconscious.


	12. Chapter 12

Gail stood motionless as she watched the paramedics place the stretcher carrying Paul in the back of the ambulance, he was barely conscious but breathing, she felt numb and cold fixed to the spot. Jim slowly placed his hand on her shoulder to gain her attention.

"Why don't you go in the ambulance with Paul?" he suggested gently

Gail turned to him visibly shocked with tears in her eyes "What's wrong with him Jim?" she said almost whispering under her breath

"He'll be fine" Jim replied attempting to sound reassuring "He's a fighter, remember that...look you go with him and I'll lock up here" having now realised the state of Gail's own shock and the need for some direction.

"What about the children?" Gail said suddenly

"Don't worry, I'll phone Helen," Jim said, as he walked her over to the ambulance.

Half an hour later, Jim joined Gail in the waiting room of Accident and Emergency. She sat on her own as it appeared quiet thankfully.

"What's happening?" he asked hugging her

"I don't really know, they took him into surgery, Beverley came down as soon as she could and has gone to find out what's happening" Gail replied

Beverley hesitated on seeing Gail and Jim looking so worried and then continued walking towards them both. As she neared Jim looked up

"What's happening, we haven't been told anything yet?" he asked

"Calm down, it appears Paul's appendix ruptured, I'm hoping we've managed to operate before it became too serious...but if it had gone on things would be different" Beverley said "Gail has he complained of stomach pains or discomfort recently"

Gail looked at her raising her eyes to the ceiling "Yes, but he put it down to indigestion and stress" she replied "You know what he's like...doesn't like to admitting that he's ill and hates visiting the doctors"

Jim sighed, once again frustrated at his eldest sons independence "He's going to be okay"

Beverley continued "As long as the surgeons are able to isolate the infection Paul should be fine, we should know a little more soon. He's going to need complete rest for six weeks though" she replied "Look he's going to be unconscious from the surgery for the rest of the night so why don't you both go home and I will ring you when he wakes"

Gail shook her head without a thought "No I'll wait ...just until he's out of surgery..I need to see him" she said

Beverly looked at Jim; both sensed the urgency and determination in Gail's voice "Okay, fine" Jim said not wishing to cause any further agitation "but then I'll drive you back to our place and you can stay there tonight. Helen took the children back there earlier"

"You sure you don't mind?" Gail asked

Jim shook his head,

"Good, I'm glad that's settled. I'll let you know when you can see Paul" Beverley said "In the mean time try and relax, it looks like you found him in time"

The next few hours seemed to feel like an age to Gail as she sat outside the recovery room checking her watch frequently. The longer the wait the more concerned she became that something had gone wrong during surgery or she hadn't thought to see why Paul was so late home earlier. Beverley approached Jim and Gail smiling eventually and explained that everything had gone smoothly and Paul was now in the recovery area. She explained carefully that Paul was still unconscious from the anaesethic and wouldn't be able to talk until the morning so wouldn't be aware of them.

Jim let Gail enter the room first, while he waited outside, as she walked over to the bed she glanced at the drips in his arms and oxygen mask he was wearing, gently she took his hand in hers , it felt warm but motionless in her own, gently she squeezed his hand as if expecting him to respond. She looked at his face which appeared peaceful although she could clearly see the tiredness surrounding his eyes which had been concerning her for sometime. She caressed his cheek with her palm and kissed his hand thinking what would have happened if he hadn't been able to ring her when he did.

Gail's thoughts were broken when Jim came up behind her placing his hands on her shoulders quietly.

"Jim why didn't I see something was wrong, I knew he wasn't feeling too good but didn't expect this" Gail said, her eyes still fixed on Paul

"Oh come on, don't blame yourself, there was nothing anybody could have done earlier...the main thing is he's going to be fine, just needs to rest" Jim replied

Gail stifled a laugh "He's never going to agree to that!"

"Well he's got you, the children and Beverley a stone's throw away to keep him in order, apart from Helen and me. He won't be able to get away with anything without any of us knowing don't you worry" Jim said "Are you ready to go and get some rest?"

Gail kissed Paul tenderly on the cheek and hesitated before moving away, as she turned to face Jim she thought she imagined Paul's handing moving in hers, looking back at him she shrugged her shoulders and thought to herself that she must have imagined it as she had wanted some sign, however little.

Helen was just preparing hot milk when Jim and Gail walked in the front door of No.26. Jim was taken aback that Helen was still up but she explained that Beverley had phoned to say that they had left and Paul was out of surgery knowing that she was worried at home. As Gail sat at the kitchen table she rubbed her neck as she felt her tiredness start to spread over her body. Jim and Helen continued to talk between themselves and Gail suddenly felt an overwhelming need to see the children. After bidding goodnight to Jim and Helen and thanking them for all their help she found the children sleeping soundly, their breathing noises a comfort as she listened in the darkness trying to rest without success. That night the much needed sleep that Gail desired eluded her and she found herself listening and watching the babies sleep with their occasional stirrings; a familiar routine she and Paul frequently found themselves drawn in to without realising and then laughing.

Gail rose with an air of determination having eventually slept a little. She felt she couldn't leave the children with the Robinsons as they have their own plans and would likely be visiting Paul as well. She packed their belongings and prepared bottles for them ready for Mrs Kirkwood, luckily when she phoned early that morning there were vacancies at the crèche for the full day and she felt assured they would be well cared for there.

It was still early by the time Gail walked down the corridor towards Paul's hospital room. It was too early for visiting hours but Gail couldn't wait any longer and hoped to avoid the Sister on duty if possible. She paused as she turned the door handle in her hand slightly cautious of what to expect after seeing Paul in the office last night and later after his operation. Her thoughts of how pale and weak he had looked had not left her mind for a brief moment since.

Paul could not quite determine where he was when he opened his eyes, from the unfamiliar scent and the feel of the bed he knew he wasn't at home with Gail beside him. It was only when he glanced down at this hand and arm where he felt a cold sensation did he notice the drip and cannula. A hazy memory of sharp pain and then darkness was the only recall Paul had and the reasoning of his current situation; he mumbled Gail's name under his breath searching for some kind of explanation and reassurance but through his still blurred vision he surmised that there was nobody in the room. Gail's hand on the door handle immediately caught Paul's attention and he glanced over as she stepped tentatively in to the room. They looked at each other for what seemed like minutes before their gaze broke when Gail smiled broadly and walked swiftly to Paul to kiss and hug him enthusiastically without saying a word. Paul winced slightly due to the discomfort of the drips and the surgery. He hadn't realised how weak he felt until he tried to hold Gail in response, settling with holding her hand and a kiss.

"Would it be too much for me to ask what happened to me, the last I remember is a sharp pain and now I'm here!" Paul exclaimed

Still smiling from relief Gail placed her hand on Paul's chest and shook her head wondering where to start. Bit by bit Gail explained how Paul had telephoned her and she had found him collapsed in the office.

"So it was the Appendicitis that was causing the stomach pains, I just thought I had bad indigestion" Paul said

Gail sighed "You scared me last night" she said, tears in her eyes "I thought......."

Paul smiled weakly "Hey come on...you don't think you're going to get rid of me that easily do you?" he said

Gail smiled, gently kissing him "It's just when I saw you, unconscious and barely breathing..I felt devastated...I never realised how much I loved you until I saw you like that, it felt as though part of my world was crashing down" she said

Paul looked at her "I felt the same way after the babies were born; I remember sitting by your bed just willing you to wake up" he said

Gail smiled "You do realise you have to rest for the next six weeks and we'll be keeping a close eye on you to make sure you do" she said

Paul groaned "Six weeks" he said "Still look at the bright side, I'll have you attending to my every need"

Gail gently hit his arm "Watch it" she said

"How are the babies?" Paul asked

"They're fine...I couldn't sleep last night, everytime I closed my eyes I kept seeing you in the office unconscious so I sat listening to the sound of their breathing...it kind of calmed me" she said "I've dropped them off at the crèche today"

Paul laughed "Oh no triple trouble...Mrs Kirkwood isn't going to know what's hit her" he said

Gail looked at him, he still seemed pale and weak "How are you really feeling?" she asked

"Sore" Paul said "Like I've been hit by a truck"

"Hey I should let you get some rest" Gail said "I'll be back later"

Paul reached for her hand "Don't go" he said

Gail looked into his dark eyes, the same eyes that her two sons had and smiled "I'll be back" she said kissing him "I love you"

"Love you too" he said sleepily

"Get some sleep" Gail said

After leaving the hospital, Gail checked on the office and the crèche to see how the triplets were, seeing that they didn't seemed to be too bother by being left there she decided to do some shopping. An hour later she returned to pick up the triplets, going into the office beforehand to check that everything was running okay. On arriving back at Ramsay Street, Gail began unloading the triplets from the car, realising how much easier it was with Paul to help her, after getting them settled in the playpen she got the shopping out and set about putting it away. She was about to put the coffee pot on when the doorbell rang.

"Hi" Helen said as Gail opened the door

"Hi...come in" Gail said "I've just put some coffee on"

"You look shattered" Helen said

"Well I didn't sleep that well last night...just kept thinking about Paul" Gail replied

"How is he?" Helen asked

Gail sighed "Not too bad...tired and sore" she said

"I'll go up and see him later...do you need anything?" Helen asked

"No, we're fine" Gail replied as she poured out the coffee, walking over to the table she placed the mugs down before sitting. "You know last night scared me, when I saw Paul lying there unconscious I just feared the worst, I can't imagine what would have happened if I had got there later, just glad he managed to phone me" she said

Helen put her hand on Gail's arm "Beverley said there's no reason why he shouldn't make a full recovery...he'll be back to his old self before you know it" she said

Gail shook her head, the tears beginning to form, she glanced briefly at the babies in the playpen before turning back to Helen "I love him so much...more than I ever loved anyone" she said "You know I saw number 13 crash with Jeremy inside it and although that was a shock, I accepted it, realised that he loved that car more than me but I don't think I could ever accept losing Paul"

"I think Paul had a wake up call when Elle was born, when they wheeled you into theatre I saw the look of fear on his face, and he didn't leave your side until you woke up" Helen said "I don't think there is anything he wouldn't do for you or the children"

"I know" Gail smiled

A few weeks later Gail walked into Paul's hospital room carrying Elle, Paul's eyes lit up at the sight of them.

"I'm not sure who you're more pleased to see" Gail laughed "Me or our daughter"

"You of course" Paul replied stretching out his arms to take the baby "But this one comes a close second"

Gail carefully placed Elle into Paul's arm.

"Where's the other two?" Paul asked

"At home with Helen, they're fast asleep at the moment but this one's wide awake" Gail said "Which hopefully means she'll sleep tonight"

"What are the triplets causing you problems?" Paul asked

Gail shook her head and smiled as she watched Elle grab Paul's fingers "No...but it's easier with two of us to look after them" she said, sitting on the edge of the bed, gently supporting Elle's back.

"You can always ask dad and Gran for help" Paul said "You know that"

Gail sighed "I don't like to....I mean they have their own lives to live; their own routines besides it's only difficult at feeding times and when they all decide they want attention at the same time but most of the time it's okay" she said "And they also enjoy being at the crèche so I've been able to go into the office part time"

"Ah do you intend to come into the office when I'm back at work?" Paul asked

"Ahem you won't be back at work for quite some time and yeah I enjoy being back at work, I've managed to re organised the office, recruiting a few new members of staff...so well if you don't mind me being around I'd love to come back part time" she said

"Since when have I said I don't like having you around" Paul said "So these new members of staff you're going to hire I gather they're all female over 50 or they're male"

Gail gently punched him "Watch it matey" she said "I haven't appointed anyone yet, just done a few interviews."

"Oh I see" Paul laughed

"So have the doctors said when you can come home?" Gail asked, smiling at the interaction between Elle and Paul, as he gently tickled her and she squealed.

"Hopefully by the end of next week" Paul said "But then I have to rest for another month or so"

"Yeah well you have been overworking lately" Gail said "I guess your body was telling you to slow down"

Paul looked at her, placing his hand on hers "I know, I've been thinking that we're in danger of being in the situation we were nine months ago and it's not what I want; I promised you that I would put you and the children first but sometimes the company is so demanding" he said

"Darling, don't worry...I know you have to work and we've managed to keep the weekends for us" Gail said

"Can't wait to come home, I've missed you so much even the getting up at three in the morning to attend to the babies" Paul said

Gail laughed "I've missed you too...I love you so much, I don't know what I would have done if anything had happened to you" she said, tears in her eyes

Paul caressed her cheek "Hey I'm here" he said "Nothing is ever going to take me away from you"

"I know that" Gail smiled, quickly moving towards Elle as she almost tumbled over the side of the bed, taking her daughter in her arms she looked at Paul seriously. "I'm sorry I got so uptight over you and Janette"

"Gail there was no me and Janette, I love you too much to do anything like that..." Paul said "I'm not Jeremy" he added quietly.

Gail smiled "I know that..I was just being silly" she said

Four weeks later, Paul had returned home from hospital but Beverley had him on a strict routine of rest, not allowing him to go into the office. Gail continued to go into the office during the morning leaving one of the triplets with Paul and placing the other two in the crèche. Paul was stretched out on the sofa with Robert when Gail walked in, carrying Cameron. Paul turned and looked at her, as she walked over to the playpen and placed the baby inside.

"Hey" he said "Where's our daughter?"

"Sold to the highest bidder" Gail laughed "She's in the car, can't carry both of them they're too heavy"

"Do you want me to get her?" Paul said

Gail turned and looked at him, shaking her head and smiling at the sight of Paul and Robert cuddled up together "No it's fine.." turning to the television she frowned "What on earth are you doing watching that"

Paul laughed "We were enjoying it" he said "Used to watch it with Lucy when she was little"

"Darling, Robert is nine months old" she said walking outside to go and collect Elle.

Paul rolled his eyes and went back to watching the film, when she came back inside, she placed the baby next to Robert, knowing full well that Elle would demand her father's attention. Gail picked up Cameron and went sat opposite Paul.

"So apart from trying to get our son to watch 'The Wizard of Oz" how has your day been?" she asked

"Not too bad" Paul said "Poor old Robert, he still can't work out what to do once he's rolled onto his stomach, I reckon he'll be crawling soon, just needs to get the mechanics of it right"

"Yep and we'll have to have stair gates, child locks on the cupboards and goodness knows what else to keep these three out" Gail said "Just glad we haven't got a swimming pool"

"I'm going to get lunch and then we can put these three down for a nap" Gail said

After lunch, Gail and Paul settled the triplets before going back downstairs to wash the dishes.

"Elle and Cameron were almost asleep before their heads hit the pillow" Paul commented "I reckon that the crèche does them good" he said

"Yeah I think Elle likes the idea of bossing the others around.....Mrs Kirkwood commented the other day at how good she was at asserting her authority" Gail laughed

"What authority...she's nine months old" Paul said

"Like father, like daughter" Gail said

Paul laughed "Hmm I don't think so...more like her feisty mother" he said

Gail gently slapped him "I'm not feisty....just because I keep you inline...someone's got to" she said

"Keep me in line...don't think so" Paul said "So are you going to leave Elle with me tomorrow?"

"What and spoil her fun!" Gail replied "Besides I thought you and Robert might want to continue watching the film"

Paul laughed "He's so good, loves having one to one attention but I have to say he's getting more and more frustrated with not being able to move"

"He's a little bit shy" Gail said "He doesn't like being in the crèche as much as the other two do"

"hmm, well leave him here tomorrow" Paul said "I was thinking today"

"Did it hurt...you don't want to do too much of that" Gail laughed

"Hardy ha...I was thinking about last year" Paul said softly

Gail looked at him and frowned

Paul gently stroked her cheek before continuing "These past few weeks I've realised how lonely you must have felt being alone here while I was working all hours, I mean it's not been so bad for me as I've had one of the triplets to keep me company....but you had no one...I didn't see what was happening"

Gail sighed "You had other things on your mind...trying to stop the business from falling apart" she said

Paul shook his head and pulled her closer to him "No...well yes that was the debt problem but the most important thing to me was you and I failed to see what was happening, how you were feeling..I'm sorry" he said

Gail looked at him and was shocked to see tears in his eyes "Hey where is this coming from?" she said "We can't change what happened last year but you've more than made up for it this year, you've been with me every step, letting Rosemary take control of the company for the first few months of the triplets lives, helping me cope with the triplets and even now you're not spending every waking hour in the office..you kept your promise that the weekends were for the family"

Paul smiled "I don't deserve you" he said

A few days later, Paul and Gail sat on the floor with the triplets, trying to encourage them to crawl. Looking at Robert, Gail was sure that all he needed was a little encouragement; the other two didn't appear interested in moving at all.

"I know let's put his favourite teddy bear in the middle of the room and see if that gets him moving" Paul said, as he got up and walked over to the playpen, picking up Robert's favourite blue bear. Placing it in the middle of the room, he went and sat down next to Gail. Robert looked at the bear.

"Robert where's your bear" Paul said

Robert turned to Paul and grinned but still made no attempt to move,

"Go on Robert, fetch the bear" Gail said softly

Robert moved from a sitting position to a crawling position but stayed there, not even trying to go towards the bear, from the corner of his eye Paul thought he saw another movement, Gail laughed as Elle finally decided she'd had enough of this game and moved towards the bear, finally reaching it she grabbed it before throwing it at her brother. Gail stifled a laugh.

Paul looked bemused "She's never even looked interested in moving, always happy to let someone pi ck her up and carry her" he said

"Well Mrs Kirkwood thought that she was planning her first move, she says she always seems to be observing the other babies crawling" Gail laughed

All of a sudden, Robert grabbed hold of the bear, taking his first few faltering steps towards Elle, Paul and Gail watched, finally as he got to Elle he promptly smacked her with the bear, Elle squealed, throwing herself in Robert's direction, she made to grab the bear back, but Robert was quicker and moved away. Gail saw Elle's pout, knowing what was about to happen she got up, moving towards her daughter she picked her up.

"Okay you two, that's enough of that game" she said

Paul picked up Cameron, getting up he went and sat on the sofa. Gail went and sat down by him, placing Elle back on the floor; Cameron put his arms out to be taken, so Paul handed him to Gail. Out of the corner of his eye, Paul saw Robert move away from the living room into the kitchen, laughing he got up,

"Oh no you don't" He laughed as he picked the baby up, swinging him up in the air, Robert squealed with delight.

"Paul, be careful, he's heavy you know you've still got to take care" Gail said

Paul groaned "I know...but the six weeks are up" he said as he sat down beside her, putting his arm around her he kissed her "You worry too much"

Gail laughed "By the way I saw Des earlier, he thought you might like to go to the Waterhole with him this evening" she said "Oh but that's not an invitation to do a detour to the office...you're still banned from there for a little while longer"

"You're a hard woman, Mrs Robbo" Paul replied

"Just looking after my interests" Gail said "You know perfectly well you're supposed to be resting stress free"

Paul laughed "What with three babies"

Gail rolled her eyes "You know what I mean" she said

"What time did Des suggest I meet him?" Paul asked

"About seven thirty, Bronwyn's babysitting Jamie so he'll come around her e and pick you up" Gail replied

"You sure you don't mind?" Paul said "We could always ask dad and Beverley if they'll babysit for us and you could join us"

Gail shook her head "It's fine...besides I can watch tv or curl up with a book" she said

At number 26, Jim Robinson slammed the phone down, Beverley walked in from the kitchen carrying some coffee mugs, seeing the look on his face she said "What's wrong?"

"Oh that was Julie, she's thinking of leaving Phil and wants to know if she can come and stay here" Jim replied "After Christmas...I just don't believe her...just hope that her and Phil can patch things up"

"Well she's your daughter...I guess if she needs a place to stay we'll have to find a way to accommodate her" Beverley said

"How?" Jim replied "We've already got a full house, she's the limit she really is, expecting everyone down here to welcome her with open arms"

"We'll manage...Todd can go home and I'm sure Nick can find somewhere to stay" Beverly said

Jim went and sat down, feeling a headache come on her rubbed his hands over his eyes. "By the way where is everyone? He asked

"Helen's at Madge's and I think the two boys are out with Sharon and Matt and Lucy is at Emma's" Beverley said "So we have the house to ourselves...what's really going on between you and Julie, apart from Christmas."

"What do you mean?" Jim asked

"With you and Julie, I know she behaved really badly at Christmas but she's family and I guess if she leaves Phil then we'll have to accommodate her" Beverley said "If you're worried about Lucy I'm sure she'll be okay...you know what she's like probably forgotten all about the argument at Christmas"

"No she hasn't" Jim said "Her birthday's coming up and she hasn't mentioned it once which isn't like her"

Beverley picked up her coffee mug, Jim looked at her,

"If you want the truth I'm not sure I'm ready to forgive Julie for what she did to Lucy or for the way she treated Paul and Gail and I certainly don't want her here" Jim said

"But she's your daughter, Hannah is your granddaughter" Beverley said

Jim sighed, shaking his head, tired of living a lie "No she isn't" he said

Beverley looked at him, shocked by his admission, but waited for him to continue.

"Before Julie was born, I was still studying and had to be away from home quite a bit, we used to be friendly with my boss and his wife and they used to take care of Anne and Paul while I was away, Roger always had an eye for the ladies and I think his marriage was an open one. One weekend he came onto Anne when she told him she wasn't interested he raped her" Jim said "Unfortunately she got pregnant"

"Are you sure...I mean are you certain that the baby wasn't yours" Beverley asked

Jim nodded "Yes...Anne and I were careful, we didn't want another child so soon after Paul, I also had to think about my studies" he said "When we found out she was pregnant, I was angry...then she told me what happened...at first I didn't believe her...I knew what Roger was like and just thought they'd been carrying on behind my back...she even left me and took Paul with her" he said "Then I heard him one afternoon, bragging about what happened and the fact that I was away"

"What happened?" Beverley said

Jim picked up his mug "I wanted to kill him, I should have trusted Anne but then I was young and a hot head, I know where Paul gets it from" he said

Beverley smiled

"Anyway she wanted to get rid of the baby...but I didn't want her to go through that after everything else so I said that I'd bring it up as my own, I mean I was still hoping there was a chance that it was mine...anyway when the baby was born we had a blood test, I think we both needed to know the truth...but it proved that the baby couldn't be mine" Jim said sadly "It was okay though, I convinced myself that the baby was still part of Anne and I could love it regardless of who the father was, for the most part that worked, in fact I had a better relationship with Julie than Anne did, but at Christmas that changed, I suddenly saw Roger Bannon in her, the cruelty in which she told Lucy the truth about her mother, how she was forever sniping at Paul and Gail, to be honest I was glad when she went home"

"I noticed" Beverley said

"As for Hannah she's just spoilt, it looks like Julie gives her everything she wants, there's nothing about either her or Julie that resembles Anne" Jim said "Anne would never have done anything like what she did to Lucy...I always thought that Julie had her mother's compassion but it's gone, she doesn't care what she says or who she hurts and to be honest I don't want her back here"

"Does Helen know?" Beverley asked

Jim shook his head "No...at the time Anne's father was ill so we didn't want to worry them with any of our problems, it's only at Christmas that I found out that Rosemary knew the truth, Anne stayed with Rosemary after she left me" he replied

Meanwhile back at Number 22 Paul was washing the dishes while Gail finished putting the triplets to bed, walking into the kitchen she crept up behind Paul and placing her arms around him kissed him.

"Hey I was going to do that after all you did the cooking" she said

Paul smiled and turned in her arms "its okay, how's Elle...settled yet?"

"Yeah Gail said

"I heard you talking to her over the intercom" Paul said

Gail laughed "Wasn't ready to give into sleep...but she's fine now"

"It's just sounded so cute over the intercom, the way you gently soothed her and her gurgling" Paul laughed

Gail smiled, as they were interrupted by the doorbell.

"That will be Des" Gail said

"You sure you don't mind me going out?" Paul asked

Gail shook her head "No...go and answer the door!" she replied.

Gail finished the washing up as Paul went to answer the door, Des walked into the house and waited while Paul went to get ready. Before going back downstairs he checked on the Nursery.

"Well the babies are asleep" He said as he got downstairs, "Hopefully they'll stay like that"

"Yeah and just you remember to stay away from the office" Gail said

Paul rolled his eyes "Yes sir"

"You sound henpecked Paul" Des laughed

"Am not!" Paul said "Once I'm out of here she won't know what I'm doing"

Gail picked up the cushion and threw it at him "Behave" she said "Des, make sure he doesn't do anything he's not supposed to"

Paul walked over to her and kissed her "Would I dare?" he laughed before walking out the door.

Later that evening Paul and Des sat in the waterhole.

"So how's its going?" Des asked "I mean you coping with being away from the office"

Paul laughed "Well I don't mind to be honest, its Gail that's had to cope with looking after the babies and the office...not that she's complained" he replied

"I think she's just happy that you're okay" Des said "She was really worried about you"

"She's been amazing, I want to do something really special for her birthday, I thought about taking her back to New Zealand for four days, for the weekend of her birthday." Paul said "I phoned Scott and he said he and Charlene would come and look after the triplets. Just think we deserve a little time to ourselves"

"You really want to leave the babies?" Des said

Paul shook his head "Of course not, I love those three so much but I think Gail needs spoiling especially after I forgot her birthday last year" he said

"It's a nice idea but I think New Zealand would be a little far for four days, why not somewhere along the coast or even Tasmania"

Paul thought for a moment "Tasmania might be a good idea, I know she hasn't seen Ian in ages and although I've kept in touch with news every so often, he feels he's lost his daughter" he said "Maybe if I take his contact details with us, and Gail feels the time is right to meet up then we can do that"

Des smiled "Do you think she'll be happy to leave the babies?" he said "They're not even a year old"

Paul sighed "I'm not sure how I feel about it but they will be in good hands, and dad and Beverly are next door and don't forget Madge and Harold will be around, not to mention you and of course Bronwyn...so there's enough people with experience to help Scott and Charlene and it's just four days" he said "Not to mention that we can phone home regularly."

"I'd check it out with her first, speak to Jim too and see what he thinks" Des said "I'd hate for you to book it and then her not want to go"

"I already spoke with dad, and he's happy to keep an eye on things but he also thinks I should discuss it with Gail first...just in case she doesn't want to go" Paul said, picking up his drink.

Des looked at Paul's half empty glass "Do you want another drink?" he asked

"Sure" Paul said "Then it's time to head home I think"

Des laughed "It's still early....Don't tell me you're going to do a detour to the office"

"Of course not!" Paul said

Meanwhile back at Number 22, Gail walked into the nursery to check on the triplets, smiling she saw that everything was quiet, looking down in Robert's cot she saw he had kicked his covers off again, gently she covered him up again, she stood watching him sleep for a while before turning and checking on the other two. Looking down at Elle, she smiled at the look of innocence on the child's face, Elle's thumb was in her mouth and her other arm securely wrapped around her favourite koala bear, Gail knew her daughter was going to be a character, she was already showing signs that she could wrap both her father and her grandfather around her little finger, this one was going to be feisty, her brothers didn't stand a chance. Gail's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. Looking at her watch she saw it was still early, taking one last look at the babies she went downstairs to answer the door.

"Hi Jim" she said on opening the door "Come in"

"Are you alone" Jim asked "Where's Paul?"

"He's gone to the Waterhole with Des" Gail replied "I thought he needed to get out"

"Oh..just thought I'd come and see how things are...Beverley got called into the hospital and everyone else is out tonight" Jim said

"Do you want a coffee?" Gail asked, walking over to the kitchen.

"I'd love one" Jim replied "How's the babies?"

"Asleep..Robert and Elle started crawling today, Cameron doesn't seem that interested...although he seems to like rolling himself over and over. It was funny, we placed Robert's favourite bear in the middle of the living room and tried to coax him to go to it but he wasn't interested and Elle decided to go and get it, although she threw at him and manage to get it to hit him, then Robert retaliated, picked up the bear, crawled to Elle and promptly hit her with it. Your granddaughter was not amused" Gail said laughing

"She's a character" Jim said "I remember her christening when she screamed the place down"

Gail laughed "Yes and she knows just how to wrap both you and Paul around her little finger" she said

"Just like Lucy" Jim said "Speaking of Lucy, I had a call from Julie today"

Gail picked up the coffee mugs and walked over to the living room, placing them on the coffee table she sat down on the sofa while Jim sat opposite her.

"Oh" Gail said

"Yeah, she's thinking of leaving Phil and wants to come back home" Jim said, picking up his coffee mug.

"Are things that bad between them?" Gail said picking up her mug and taking a sip of coffee

Jim sighed "Apparently so" he said

"You've already got a full house" Gail said

"I know, but she just thinks that we can ask both Nick and Todd to leave, well I guess Todd could go back to Adelaide but Nick has no one and I promised him he would always have a family with us, so I'm not prepared to push him out" Jim said "She's become so much like Hilary, doesn't care about other people's feelings"

"What are you going to do?" Gail asked

Jim laughed "I'm hoping her and Phil sort things out" he said "The other thing is that Lucy isn't going to be happy if Julie comes home"

Gail looked down at her coffee mug "I know...what Julie said at Christmas hurt her deeply"

"Her birthday is coming up and you know what she's like...she used to remind us every day for a month beforehand about what she wanted, this year she hasn't mentioned it" Jim said

"Paul and I were talking about it a while back, he's noticed the change but like I said to him unfortunately that date holds a different meaning now as it's also the date her mother died" Gail said

"But we never made an issue of it...always made sure that her birthday was a happy occasion" Jim said

"I'll talk to her" Gail said "But it still won't change the fact that she isn't going to be happy if Julie returns"

"Yeah, I don't think Julie realised that she's now lost her sister" Jim said "They never had a close relationship as Julie was always bossing her around but now I would say that Lucy wouldn't want to go within a mile of Julie"

"It's sad really" Gail said

"Families" Jim said rolling his eyes.

Meanwhile back at the Waterhole, Paul and Des were finishing their drinks "Another one?" Des said

"You're joking" Paul laughed "I'm on orange juice mate, don't think I can drink anymore"

"Yeah sorry I forgot you couldn't drink" Des said

"It doesn't matter...but I think it's time we made a move" Paul said

"It's still early...oh don't tell me you're going to check the office out" Des said "Gail is going to kill you and me if she hears about it"

Paul got up out of his seat "No...just don't want to leave Gail alone for too long" he said

"Okay" Des said

Half an hour later, Paul and Des arrived back in Ramsay Street, after saying goodnight they parted company. Paul opened the front door, Gail looked up and smiled.

"Hi Darling you're home early" she said

"Yeah well I was on orange juice all night, doesn't have the same appeal" he replied

Jim stood up

"Hi dad" Paul said

"Hi yourself, I was just about to leave" Jim said

"Night Jim" Gail said as she walked towards the door. On closing the door, Paul took her in his arms and kissed her. Gail laughed

"What's got into you" she said "You haven't been to the office"

Paul looked shocked "How could you even think that?" he said "I just wanted to come back and see you...thought we might get an early night"

Gail laughed "Well our offspring are asleep" she said

Paul went to pick Gail up but she stopped him shaking her head "Oh no you don't...you're not carrying me upstairs, you're still recovering remember" she said

"Spoilsports" he said, taking her hand, he led her upstairs, Gail switched off the downstairs light on her way upstairs. As he reached their bedroom, Paul opened the door and kissed Gail tenderly.

"I love you" he said

Gail smiled "I know I love you too" she said

"I really love you" Paul said

Gail looked at him, "Paul what's wrong?" she asked

Paul laughed "Nothing I just want you to know how much I want you" he said as he gently lowered her onto the bed.

Later they lay cuddled tightly together, Gail kissed Paul, "It's been a long time Mr Robbo" she smiled

"Too long" Paul said "All I could think about tonight was you, Gail you're the most important thing in my life"

"Paul...I feel the same way about you; what we have is so special" she said "I never felt this way about anyone...as long as I have you and our children I'm happy"

"How was your evening?" Paul asked

"Fine..Jim popped around for a coffee...apparently he had a phone call from Julie, she and Phil are thinking of splitting up and she wants to come back home" Gail said

Paul groaned

"Jim also concerned about Lucy" Gail said

"Well Lucy won't be happy if Jules returns but she'll get used to it" Paul said, snuggling up closer to Gail

Gail sighed "It's not just that....he's concerned that she's dwelling on her mum's death, you know what she's like with her birthday...well this year she hasn't mentioned it" she said

"I know...but like I said before there's nothing we can do about it" Paul said "The date has a different meaning now, a meaning we never wanted her to know about"

"I'll talk to her" Gail said "See if I can make her see things differently that her birthday should still be celebrated"

Paul thought for a moment "I had a thought about your birthday" he said

"Oh you remembered it's coming up" she said, nudging him slightly

"Ha ha, of course I remember, wouldn't dare not" he said kissing her "But I had a thought, I wondered if you wanted to go away for the weekend, just the two of us, I phoned up Scott and he and Charlene will come and look after the triplets for us"

Gail looked at him "It's a nice idea but the babies are so young and Scott and Charlene have no experience, it will be like throwing them in at the deep end." She said

"I know but there's dad, Beverly, Gran and Madge and Harold who'll be around if needed and it's only for four days" Paul said "I want to do something really special for you"

Gail smiled "Four days alone with you would be heaven" she said "I have to admit that"

"Then say 'yes'" Paul said "I want to make up for what happened last year. The babies will be okay and we get back we can start thinking about their first birthday party"

Gail smiled "I love you so much...okay but where are we going?" she said

"Ah that part I'm not telling you" he said "Haven't decided yet, but wherever it is it will be special I promise you that"


	13. Chapter 13

A month later, Gail sat alone in the office finishing some work before meeting Paul in the park, Robert and Cameron were in the crèche and Elle was no doubt keeping her father entertained. Sitting back in her chair, she glanced at the photographs on Paul's desk and picked up one taken of the triplets shortly after their christening, smiling she gently ran her finger over the faces of her children, each one now developing their own personalities. The boys were identical but with different characters, Robert was calmer always willing to sit cuddled up with Paul on the sofa, he loved being close to people and she knew that as he grew older he would become Paul's shadow, Cameron, on the other hand was more active, never happy to sit for too long always wanting to be on the move, he learnt the art of rolling himself along the floor but when it came to crawling Robert mastered that first. Looking at her daughter's face she smiled, Elle was the leader, always the most vocal of the three babies, from a very early age she knew what she wanted and let her feelings be known. The last ten months had been full of ups and downs for her and Paul, coping with three babies had been daunting but they had managed, with the sleepless nights and the endless feeding routines there had also been the joy of watching these children develop, their first smile, their attempts at learning to crawl and the experience of watching the three helpless babies turn into their own characters, each one an individual in their own right. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door and as Lucy stepped around the door Gail smiled.

"Lucy...what are you doing here...shouldn't you be in school"

Lucy shook her head "No...We've got a half day, I've just been to the coffee shop" she replied

"Well I'm going to pick up the boys shortly, and meet Paul in the park; do you want to join us?" Gail asked noting Lucy was slightly quieter than usual.

Lucy's eyes lit up "Okay" she said

"So any ideas what you want for your birthday?" Gail asked changing the subject

Lucy looked down, and said nothing

"Okay....talk to me Lucy" Gail said softly, standing up she walked to Lucy's side of the desk. Lucy looked at her but said nothing; Gail noticed the tears in her eyes as she knelt down in front of her. "Is this about Christmas?" she asked

Lucy sighed "My birthday isn't really a happy time, it shouldn't be celebrated...mum died because of me" she said

"Lucy...we've talked about this at Christmas...your mum wanted you to live which is why she risks she did" Gail said

"But it still doesn't mean we should celebrate my birthday" Lucy said

"Okay...listen...your family have always celebrated your birthday...nothing has changed except that you know the truth" Gail said "We want the old Lucy back, the one who used to drive us crazy for a month before her birthday reminding us what she wanted"

Lucy looked at her and Gail thought she saw the trace of a smile "It's less than a month to my birthday now" she said quizzically

Gail laughed "So this year we get you driving us crazy for two weeks" she said

"Has Paul told you where he's taking you for your birthday?" Lucy asked

"Changing the subject" Gail smiled "No he hasn't why do you know?"

Lucy laughed "No he won't tell me...knows I'm no good at keeping secrets and will probably tell you" she said "Dad had another call from Julie, I heard him talking to Gran and Beverley last night"

"Luce...you shouldn't eavesdrop on conversations you know that" Gail said as she stood up to do the final bits of filing.

"Apparently dad asked her to apologise to the three of us for the way she treated us, but she won't, so he told her she's not welcome back home until she changes her attitude" Lucy said "She still thinks you and Paul will split up"

Gail shook her head "It's not going to happen" she said "Julie can think what she likes"

Lucy looked at her curiously "How do you know?" she asked

"How do I know what?" Gail said

Lucy laughed "How do you know that Paul is the person you want to spend the rest of your life with" she said

Gail laughed "what kind of question is that! I can't explain it...He's my best friend and we share everything" she said "Not only that we have the triplets to consider"

"I don't understand why Julie doesn't want Paul to be happy or why she has to be horrible to me or you" Lucy said

Gail paused and thought for a moment "Well just at the moment, she's unhappy and perhaps it makes her feel worse when she knows other people are happy" she said "Anyway back to your birthday have you decided what you want?"

Lucy laughed "Well my old tape recorder is broken so I could do with a new one, actually one with a radio would be good" she said

Gail smiled "I'll talk to Paul...see what he says" she said, looking at her watch "we'd better make a move otherwise we'll keep Paul and Elle waiting"

"Okay" Lucy said

After picking up the boys, Gail and Lucy headed towards to the park, Lucy pushing the double buggy.

"You sure you don't want me to take that?" Gail asked "They're getting heavy"

"No" Lucy said

Gail caught sight of Paul, sitting on the swing holding Elle as they neared the play area and smiled, Lucy laughed "He's going to break that swing, he's too old to do things like that" she said

Gail shook her head "You want me to talk Paul into buying you a new tape recorder" she smirked

"It's true" Lucy said as they pushed the buggy closer, Paul saw them coming toward him and got off the swing, smiling he walked up to Gail and gave her a kiss.

"Hey" he said

"Hey yourself" Gail replied

"Paul you're too old to play on swings" Lucy laughed

Gail rolled her eyes

"What are you doing out of school young lady" Paul said

"Finished for the day, so I'd thought I go and see Gail" Lucy said

Elle stretched out her arms for Gail, so Paul let her go

"How has this one been?" Gail asked

Paul laughed "Mischievous...I was in the nursery, changing the cots and I thought she was playing on the floor, but she slipped out and I found her in the spare room, oh she's found the Paddington Bears that you put in there and she's decided which one she's having...in fact she wanted to bring it with her" he said

Gail laughed "You did remember to make sure the stair gate was in place" she said

Paul rolled his eyes "Of course I did" he said

Lucy looked inside the buggy "Hmm these two are asleep, can I take Elle on the slide" she said

"Sure" Gail said, kissing her daughter as she handed her to Lucy "But be careful, you know how heavy she is"

Paul looked into the buggy "So these two have had a busy morning by the looks of it" he said

"Yeah they were awake when we picked them up but I think the buggy has sent them off, Mrs Kirkwood said they've been really good" Gail said

"They're my children...what do you expect" Paul laughed

Finding a bench, Paul and Gail put the buggy in the shade of a tree and sat down. "Did Elle eat her lunch?" Gail asked

Paul nodded "Yeah, although the mashed banana nearly ended up on the floor, she definitely knows what she likes and what doesn't like. Oh yeah and she was determined that Paddington Bear was going to join her in the high chair" he said

Gail rested her head on Paul's shoulder

"What are you thinking?" Paul asked

Gail sighed "Dad brought those bears for the babies, he was so excited about being a grandfather" she said

Paul pulled her closer to him, gently kissing her "I know..and I still feel guilty about what happened" he said

"Paul...it...it wasn't your fault....dad knew he was in the wrong and that's why he stormed off" Gail said

"Yeah but it nearly wrecked our relationship.." Paul said

"Darling you were under so much pressure, Hilary forever making demands, the financial problems and then the stolen parts in the workshop" she said "But we're a year on from there"

"So where are you taking me for my birthday" she said, smiling as she glanced across at Lucy and Elle

Paul shook his head "Not telling you" he said "Lucy looks happy"

Gail laughed "Changing the subject Robbo" she said "I had a chat with her earlier; she feels that her birthday shouldn't be celebrated because of her Mother"

"But we've always celebrated her birthday, sure we remember mum but we made it into a happy day for Lucy's sake" Paul said

"I know I told her that...I think she's come around to that way of thinking now" Gail said "She wants a radio/tape recorder for her birthday"

Paul laughed "We'll see" he said

Paul checked the buggy as he thought he heard noises coming from inside "Hey looks like the boys are awake" he said, getting up and walking over to them, Gail followed.

"Hey sleepy head" Paul said as he lifted Cameron out "Let's go and join your sister"

Gail lifted Robert out and followed Paul, Walking into the play area they found a pair of swings and sat on them, gently rocking Robert and Cameron to and fro. "It doesn't get any better than this does it?" Paul said

Gail shook her head "No" she said

Later that day, Paul and Gail were putting the children to bed, Gail laughed at her daughter's insistence that her Paddington Bear was going in her cot with her, although her koala bear still took pride of place next to her. Paul walked into the nursery after finishing bathing Cameron, looking into the cot he laughed.

"Well Koala Bear's still in" he says, walking over to Cameron's cot he placed the baby inside, softly rubbing his back as he gently spoke to him, as he pulled the covers up around him.

Gail smiled, checking the cots one last time before switching off the main light and switching on the night light.

Heading downstairs Gail walked into the kitchen to start the evening meal.

"Can I help?" Paul enquired

"Sure you can peel some veggies" Gail smiled as she removed some chicken from the fridge glancing at Paul she smiled at how relaxed he seemed "You looking forward to going back to work next week?"

"Sort of...although I have enjoyed spending time with the babies" Paul said "Maybe we should job share, you could do the mornings and I could do the afternoons...or something like that"

"Well we could do, that way we don't need to put the children in the crèche" Gail said

"These next few weeks I'm only working three days in the office and then I'll bring work home for two days anyway" Paul said

"Do you think that will work...you know how demanding the babies can be" Gail said

"I don't see why not...we have extra staff to help out" Paul said "If I don't actually need to be in the office why not work from home"

Gail laughed "I was meaning working from home with the babies around" she said

* * *

A month later Paul and Gail were getting into the routine of work and looking after the triplets with Paul at work, the triplets asleep Gail was doing some housework. Seeing the state of the desk in the living room, she decided that she'd attempt to put some sort of order to the chaos Paul seemed to have made on the desk. Sifting through the papers she came across brochures for Tasmania. Curiously she wondered why Paul would be looking at holiday brochures for Tasmania, then it hit her, Paul's surprise birthday weekend, surely he wasn't thinking of going that far away, she thought, she was prepared for a trip to the coast but the idea of a plane journey didn't appeal to her, she didn't want to be too far away just in case the babies needed her. She felt slightly annoyed at the way Paul seemed not to care about the welfare of their children, and how he didn't seem to mind the thought of being so far away from them. Later that night Paul returned home, seeing Gail he walked over to her and kissed her cheek.

"Hi" he said "Am I glad to be home"

Gail didn't say anything, but turned away and walked towards the triplets.

"Gail?" Paul said curiously

"What" she replied "It's time to get these three to bed"

"Okay" Paul said as he walked over to Cameron to pick him up.

They bathed the babies in silence, Paul getting more and more curious as to what was upsetting Gail. Going back downstairs, Gail finished getting the dinner ready while Paul picked up the paper deciding it was probably best to leave Gail to herself for a while. During the meal Paul noticed that things were still frosty every time he tried to engage Gail in conversation he got monotone replies. Finally he decided he had enough.

"Darling is there something wrong?" he said "Have I said something to upset you"

"More like what you haven't said" she said sarcastically.

"I don't understand" Paul remarked

Gail rolled her eyes, standing up she walked over to the desk and picked up the Tasmanian brochures walking back to the table she threw them down in front of Paul. "I was tidying the desk and found these" she said

Paul looked confused "You knew I was planning to take you away for your birthday" he said "It will be good to have some time to ourselves; it will be like a second honeymoon"

"Paul it's too far" Gail said "A trip to the coast would be fine, but this involves a plane journey and if we need to get back in a hurry we're reliant on planes" she said "I'm not going that far"

"Gail if you're worried about the babies, they will be fine." Paul said "Scott and Charlene will have help; they won't be on their own. I've made sure that the babies will be well taken care of, what's the problem?"

Gail rolled her eyes "Paul it's too far, I'm not going and that's final" she said, picking up her plate and walking over to the sink.

Paul watched her go, feeling sad and deflated. He had so wanted to make up for what happened last year with her birthday and now his plans had been ruined. Hearing Gail begin to slam the pots in the sink he walked over to her

"Hey keep on doing that and you'll wake the babies" he said softly

Gail turned "What do you care, they obviously don't mean that much to you...if you're prepared to leave them to go as far as Tasmania" she said

Paul looked gob smacked, her words cut like a knife, he was about to say something when she turned her back on him, resigned to the fact that she wasn't in the mood to talk he turned and went back to the living room.

"I'm going to take some work upstairs" he said

"Fine" Gail replied

Paul sighed, walking into the nursery he checked that the babies were still asleep, he smiled when he saw that Elle had managed to throw the Koala bear out of the cot and her arm was firmly wrapped around Paddington bear, picking up the Koala bear he held it close, feeling some comfort from the soft warm fur, he hated arguing with Gail, he loved the triplets as much as she did. Sighing he placed the Koala bear back inside the cot. Walking over to the boys' cots he looked inside, both boys were peaceful, the total opposite of how he felt at this moment. Turning away he walked out of the room into the spare room, deciding that he didn't want another argument with Gail.

The following morning, Paul heard Gail moving about in the kitchen, checking his watch he saw that it was 7.30am, he spent the night tossing and turning in the spare room, not being able to sleep. Getting up he decided he'd go over to Number 26 and see if he could persuade his father to have a game of squash with him, to try and get rid of the frustration he was feeling.

Gail looked at him as he walked downstairs.

"I was just making breakfast...do you want some?" she asked

Paul saw that she seemed a little calmer, glancing at the playpen he saw that triplets were dressed and had obviously been fed.

"No thanks" He said "I'm popping over to dad's see if I can get him to play a game of squash with me"

"Okay" Gail said sadly

Paul took one last look at the playpen before walking out the door, he was still upset about the argument between him and Gail but he wasn't ready to face her, he didn't want another row. Walking into number 26 he tried to put a smile on his face, not wanting anyone to know about what had happened.

"Hey" he said walking into the kitchen

Jim, Helen and Beverley were just finishing breakfast "Paul, what brings you here on a Saturday morning" Jim asked

"Dad I was just wondering whether you wanted a game of squash" he said

"Sure" Jim said "But I thought you'd be spending the day with your family"

Paul sighed "No"

"What's wrong?" Helen said

Paul thought for a moment, not really sure what to say "Oh the trip is off...work has piled up and I really need to be here" he said

"Bet Gail isn't happy with that" Beverley said

Paul looked down at the ground "Something like that" he said

"Can't you spare four days?" Helen said "That's what you had more staff in the office for, so that you could spend more time with your family"

"Gran I know but this is something I have to deal with" Paul said

Jim sensed the tension in his eldest son and got up "Just going to get changed and get my racket and I'll be with you" he said

"Okay" Paul replied

Later that morning, Gail was busy baking when she heard the doorbell, walking over to the living room she picked up Cameron as he tried to make it to the door quicker than her. Opening it she smiled as she saw Helen.

"Hi" she said "Would you like a coffee" as she placed Cameron into the playpen

"Sure" Helen said as she followed Gail into the kitchen "You look about as happy as Paul"

Gail picked the kettle up and filled it with water "Oh we just had an argument last night" she said "Which is why he's playing squash with Jim instead of here with me"

"Paul told us that the trip had to be put off due to work commitments" Helen said "It's a shame I was looking forward to seeing Scott and Charlene again"

Gail sighed "Is that what he told you?" she said shaking her head, picking up the kettle she poured the water into the coffee mugs, before returning to the lounge.

Helen looked puzzled, wondering why Paul would lie.

Gail rolled her eyes "The reason the trip is off is because it's too far, I'm not prepared to take a plane trip" she said "If we need to get back then we're reliant on planes"

"Gail, it's four days...the babies will be fine I promise you, Scott and Charlene will have all the help they need" she said "Trust me do you really think I would let anything happen to those three"

Gail looked down and quietly murmured "No...but what about the night time...if all three wake up screaming at the same time"

Helen smiled "Come on...you said yourself that they sleep through the night now...there's no reason for that to change" she said "And if it makes you happier I can move in here with them"

Gail looked at her "I don't know" she said

Helen sighed "Those three will be spoilt rotten" she said "They won't even know you're not here..."

"I just feel we're putting too much on Scott and Charlene" Gail said

Meanwhile at the coffee shop, Jim was slightly breathless after the game of squash, it had been a hard game and Paul had beaten him, Jim hoped it had relieved some of that tension he had seen back at the house.

"So you going to tell me what's wrong or are you going to brood all day?" Jim said

"I'm sorry dad" Paul said

"Gail upset about not going away?"

Paul laughed half heartedly "No she's fine" he said

"Then what's wrong?" Jim said

Paul sighed, frustrated with the whole situation "The reason we're not going away is because Gail thinks Tasmania is too far" he said "She found the brochures I had"

"Oh I see" Jim said

"Dad she accused me of not caring about the triplets as much as her, but I have thought about it, I've made sure that the babies will be well cared for...we're not leaving them home alone" Paul said

"Paul she's being protective...her maternal instinct has kicked in...believe me if I had suggested the same thing of leaving you at that age and going to Tasmania your mum would have done the same thing" Jim said

"But I wanted to do something nice for her especially after what happened last year" Paul said "She's so wrong, I love those children more than anything...how did I get it so wrong"

Jim sighed "You didn't....maybe in a couple of years time she'll be okay about leaving them" he said "Perhaps this year she'll be happy with a movie and a dinner"

"I guess you're right" Paul said "I didn't think she'd react like that"

After Helen had left, Gail walked over to the desk and sat down, picking up the brochures she began flicking through them, she had to admit the chance of four days alone with Paul was appealing, she knew she had hurt him last night and hated arguing with him. Glancing at the babies she smiled, Helen was right as long as someone was giving them attention the babies would be fine without her or Paul, but first she needed to make a telephone call. Picking up the phone she dialled Charlene's number. After a ten minute conversation with her sister in law she felt calmer, Charlene and Scott were looking forward to coming back and looking after the babies, Charlene felt sure that she and Scott would be fine and that if there was a problem there was someone there to help even at three o'clock in the morning. Above all the children would be safe; in her heart she knew that Paul would always make sure they were safe. Her thoughts were interrupted by the front door opening. She looked up to see Paul walk through the door.

"Hi" she said "I was just about to make lunch" as she walked into the kitchen

Paul walked over to the desk, seeing the brochures there he picked them up and threw them in the wastepaper bin.

Gail frowned as she looked up "That's a bit of a waste, we'll need them if you still want to go" she said walking closer to him, searching his face for some clue as to what he was thinking.

"It was just an idea" Paul said

"So you don't want to go now?" Gail said

Paul looked at her "You're probably right, the babies are too small to be left" he said "I should have thought more about it, it wouldn't be fair on Scott and Charlene giving them all that responsibility with us so far away"

"I don't know the idea of four days alone with you is definitely appealing" Gail said smiling

Paul half smiled "So you've changed your mind?" he said

"If it's not too late I'd love to go away with you" she said, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I came to a decision without thinking about it"

Paul looks at her "Gail I love those children as much as you do and there isn't anything I wouldn't do for them, it isn't easy for me to be away from them but I wanted to do something special for you. The babies will be well cared for and we can be in contact at all times if you want" he said

"I know...I'm sorry about what I said last night" Gail said

"Darling if we can't trust my family who can we trust" Paul said

"I do trust your family" Gail said "How about you get those brochures out of the bin and we look at them this afternoon, there's not that much time left"

"Okay...oh dad wants us to go around for dinner tonight if we want, about 7pm that way we can feed the triplets beforehand, and not have to worry about them during dinner" Paul said

Gail smiled "Sounds fine with me...oh I spoke to Charlene earlier and they're going to come down on the Wednesday, just so that the triplets can get used to them and they can get used to the routine" she said

"When did she phone?" Paul asked

"She didn't, I phoned her...just wanted to check that she was okay with everything" Gail said

"And?" Paul asked

Gail laughed "She's fine...hey come on let's eat lunch" she said.

Later that afternoon, Paul and Gail sat curled up on the sofa while the triplets played on the floor. It was starting to rain so the plans to visit the park were abandoned. Gail got up and picked up the Tasmania holiday brochures, settling back down into Paul's arms, the couple looked through them.

"So what do you think? Gail asked

"Well there's a few good hotels that we could try" Paul said

Gail laughed "Kind of a busman's holiday though isn't it" she said, picking up another brochure from the coffee table.

"True...okay what about your thoughts?" Paul asked

"Well how about a cabin by the beach?" she said

"Yeah but they're self catering" Paul said

"Yeah but that's not a problem, we can eat out" Gail said "Besides I thought the whole point of this trip was to spend time alone, and what better way to do that than locking ourselves away in a cabin on the beach"

Paul laughed "Guess you want your own private beach too" he said

Gail looked at him "Well if you can arrange it" she said

Paul laughed

Gail turned serious for a moment "I just had a thought" she said

"Oh" Paul said

"Ian..well he's in Tasmania...I haven't spoken to him in ages" Gail said "Not since before dad died"

Paul sighed "Do you want to see him...we could always contact him while we're down there" he asked

Gail looked down at the babies "I'm not sure...he's probably forgotten all about me by now anyway" she said

Paul hugged her tightly, kissing her on her neck "I doubt anyone could forget you Mrs Robinson" he said "Besides I know he hasn't forgotten you"

Gail looked at him

Paul rolled his eyes and smiled "Look he spent three years looking for you...do you really think he'd give up on you like that?" he said

"But he hasn't been in contact" Gail said, "Or has he?"

Paul sighed hoping that she wasn't going to be mad at him again for what he was about to say "Well after I contacted him at Christmas and explained about Rob, he understood that you were grieving and needed time, but he was concerned about you and wanted me to keep in touch just so to let him know how things were" he said "I didn't see the harm in it so every few weeks he'd call me at the office"

"Why didn't you tell me" Gail said

Paul looked down at the carpet, seeing Robert try to pull himself up onto the sofa, he moved slightly and lifted him up and then settled him between him and Gail, checking on the other two, but seeing they were busy playing he turned his attention back to Gail "I wasn't sure how you'd react...to be honest I was worried that you'd be angry, all I was trying to do was keep the lines of communication open so that if in the future you wanted to contact him you could" he said "You're not mad are you?"

Gail smiled, picking up Robert she moved closer to Paul "No" she said "But that does explain something"

"What?" Paul said

"Chris took a call in the reception area, from a man who wanted to talk to you, but when Chris told him you were ill but I was there the man just got agitated and said it didn't matter and put the phone down" Gail said "I just presumed that it was just someone who didn't like women in business."

Paul laughed "I remember he phoned here afterwards, and told me what happened, he hoped it wouldn't cause problems" he said

"I didn't think anymore about it until now" she said

"Gail all he wants to do to be able to share in your life, he lost you once before and he doesn't want that to happen again" Paul said

"Gloria thinks I should get in touch with him, we were talking about it a while back" Gail said "She thinks Rob would understand"

"It has been almost a year" Paul said "But it's entirely up to you"

Gail smiled "I'll think about it"

Two weeks later, Paul and Gail were in Tasmania, the day of Gail's birthday arrived and Paul woke first with the sun streaming through the curtains, he smiled as he watched Gail sleeping beside him, gently he planted kisses on her cheek, Gail laughed as she opened her eyes.

"Happy birthday" he said

Paul turned and reached inside his bedside cabinet drawer, pulling out a box, he handed it to Gail, her eyes lit up "Hey I thought my birthday present was the trip away" she said

Paul laughed "It is but I thought you deserved something extra" he said

Gail opened the box and smiled at the matching gold necklace and earrings inside "Paul there's lovely but you shouldn't have" she said kissing him

Gail opened the box and smiled at the gold bracelet inside "Paul they're lovely but you shouldn't have" she said kissing him

"Yes I should" he said "So how do you want to spend the day?"

Gail smiled "In here with you" she laughed

Paul kissed her "Hmm a very tempting idea" he said pulling her closer "but I thought about a nice romantic walk and then a picnic on a beach followed by dinner tonight"

"Sounds good" Gail replied

Two hours later Paul and Gail stepped outside into the warm sunny day, holding hands they decided to explore the area more. Gail had just phoned home and was relieved to hear that the triplets were fine and behaving. Paul laughed as she relayed her phone call to him.

"See I told you they'd be alright...I'd never do anything that would harm them" Paul said "They're so special...I love them so much"

Gail rested her head on his shoulder "I know...guess I was being a little overprotective" she said

Paul laughed "Hmm" he said "So how do you feel after last night...I mean meeting up with Ian again"

Gail smiled "It was nice to catch up with him again" she said "But I'm not sure about his offer"

Paul frowned "Neither am I to be honest, I mean $25,000 in a trust fund for the triplets would certainly help us out but it just doesn't feel right" he said "I know he wants to make up for the time he lost out with you and in providing for the triplets he feels he would be a way of doing that, but they're my children and I want to provide for my family"

Gail smiled "I know what you mean" she said "We can't accept it, but what about his idea about investing in the Robinson Corporation?"

Paul sighed "Well that would certainly help us out and he would get something back with that investment...I don't know, it doesn't feel right" he said "In a few years time and he's been to Ramsay Street and met the children then maybe it will be different but right now I don't want to take his money...it's not the reason we got back in contact with him"

"mmm" Gail said "Last evening was nice though...he's totally different from dad"

Paul laughed "You can say that again" he said as they neared the beach, walking down onto the warm sand they headed towards the shoreline "He did give me some good advice though"

"I thought you too were deep in conversation when I came back from the ladies" she said "What were you talking about"

"We just talked about what happened last year, and he told me about how his marriage had broken down due to him being obsessed with building his business. He hardly sees his boys anymore" Paul said "He just told me to be careful and not forget you and the children"

Gail smiled "You're not likely to do that...besides we're a team" she said

Finding a secluded space between some rocks they sat down, Gail laid down resting her head in Paul's lap, tenderly he stroked her cheek "This year has been okay; the triplets have been hard work and I know it wasn't easy for you when I was sick, trying to look after the babies and the office but we coped" he said

"This is all I want...the evening after the triplets were born and you had gone home, I remember lying alone and thinking that I had everything I could ever want, a loving husband, three beautiful children" she said "But I never in my wildest dreams ever thought that the man I would spend the rest of my life with would be you"

Paul laughed "Yeah well....it wasn't the most conventional way of falling in love" he said

"But it worked for us" Gail said "I remember speaking to Lucy a while back, she mentioned about the fact that Julie still thinks our marriage will fall apart and I told her it won't happen and I firmly believe that because no matter how many times we argue we always a find a way back, a common ground where we can agree to disagree"

"We're best friends, and that is something I don't want to lose" Paul said "I love you so much, more than I've ever loved anyone"

Gail smiled "I feel the same way...this weekend has been amazing, being able to spend time together without interruptions, knowing that the triplets were being well cared for..It's reminds me of the Christmas we spent in New Zealand" she said

Paul laughed "I wanted to go back there this time, but realised it was too far, the time we spent there was so special, after months of having to deny what I was feeling, to be able to tell you that I loved you and know that you felt the same way was amazing, to have someone to love me who I knew I could trust" he said

Gail smiled "I loved that time and I realised how deep my feelings were...and still are" she said "I know now that I could never walk out of this marriage."

Paul kissed her "I'm going to make sure you never ever think about doing anything like that again" he said "Our relationship is the most important thing in my life, without you there's no point in anything...even though there are times when you drive me crazy"

Gail laughed "Thanks" she said, gently hitting his arm "I could say the same about you"

Paul pulled her closer to him and kissed her "So what do you want to do this evening, I thought about a nice romantic meal before taking in a movie" he said

Gail laughed "A movie? Which one did you have in mind" she asked

Paul smirked "Who cares...my mind won't be on the movie" he said

"Hmm it's been a while since we sat in the back row of the cinema" Gail laughed

"Too long" Paul said "So how about it"

"We'll see...but I could definitely go with the romantic meal" Gail said

"Okay" Paul said "I guess when we get back we have a birthday party to think about"

"Don't remind me...where did this year go to" Gail replied "I'm glad Scott and Charlene can stay after we get back" Gail said

Paul laughed "I don't know sounds as though they might need a holiday...can't believe my brother fed our daughter with mash banana and custard" he said

"Well Scott told me you told him that she'd be fine with any fruit" Gail said

"Yeah well ..I forgot to mention she hated bananas and what would happen if she got given them" Paul laughed "It's funny she was the smallest of the three babies but she's definitely a character. She has a lot of you in her, she makes up her mind she wants something she just goes for it" he said "And if she doesn't like something she always manages to make her feelings known"

Gail sat up and laughed "She has two brothers to keep in line, she needs to be able to assert her authority" she said

"Well she has no problem with that!" Paul remarked, thoughtfully he looked deep into Gail's eyes and gently stroked her cheek "We were so lucky with these three, there's so much that could have gone wrong with the pregnancy, with the whole IVF programme"

Gail reached for his hand and squeezed it tightly "Three babies was a risk, we could have lost them all in the early months of the pregnancy or they could have been born with something wrong with them, but we had three healthy babies" she said "We were warned that the IVF wasn't guaranteed, that we could be on the programme for years without having a child, I always believed that I would never become that obsessed with it but I found I was, I don't know if it was because of Nina and Amy, but there became nothing more important than a child of our own"

"Question is do we try the IVF in a few years time" Paul said

Gail looked at him, "I don't know...I'd love another daughter but...."

"But what....I told you the next time you'd have a perfect pregnancy" Paul said

Gail moved closer to him and kissed him tenderly "is seeing me pregnant going to relive what happened to your mum again" she said

Paul sighed "I think I'm okay with that.....what happened with Elle scared me but you came through, it also made me realise how much I love you" he said

Gail smiled "I would love another child...maybe in a year or so, just not yet" she said

"Do you fancy some lunch?" Paul said, standing up and smiling

"Sure" Gail said, as she put up her hands to let him pull her up.

Paul placed his arm around her and they walked towards the water, laughing as they felt the cool feel of it against their skin. Paul pulled her closer to him as she rested her head on his shoulder. Leaving the water's edge they walked up the beach.

Later that evening Paul took Gail for a meal to celebrate her birthday, throughout the meal he found he couldn't take his eyes off her, she was glowing with happiness, Gail caught him watching her.

"What's up with you?" she said

Paul smiled "Paul smiled "Nothing...you just look amazing...I don't think I've seen you looking so radiant and relaxed in ages" he said

Gail blushed "Thanks..." reaching across the table she took his hand "Thanks for this weekend, it was perfect...just what I needed" she said

Paul smiled "It's what you deserved...after last year" he said "Hey do you fancy a walk on the beach to watch the sunset"

Gail smiled "Sounds perfect"

Paul paid the bill, and led Gail out of the restaurant, after returning to the Cabin they ambled down towards the beach. Sitting down on the warm sand, Gail rested her head on Paul's shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her as she sat in front of him.

"So this is why you wanted to have an early meal" she laughed

"We used to do this all the time when we were in New Zealand" he said "It's been too long" kissing her and pulling her even closer to him.

"It's so peaceful here" Gail remarked

"Hey you're not cold are you?" he asked checking

"I'm fine" she said "it's strange...we have everything we could want, three perfect children...an extended family who are nearby and provides as much as support as we want from them...I love your family, they made me feel part of them from the moment I married you and have never mentioned the Marriage of Convenience"

"Gran always felt you were the right girl for me" Paul said "I think she was shocked by the contract but after talking to her before we left for New Zealand that Christmas I think she understood more the reason we did it."

Gail smiled "I know she worries about you more than the other three, she knew how close you were to your mum and that you shut off your feelings regarding her death, she sees a lot of you in Robert and I do to a degree" she said

"How?"

Gail laughed "He's shy....except around people he knows, he's started to get used to being in the crèche but he prefers to be with the family. Helen said you were similar at that age, even as you got older you never made friends easily although the ones you made became friends for life" she said "Cameron and Elle are more sure of themselves although Cameron has some of you in the way that he doesn't rush into doing things, like when he was learning to crawl, he thought about it before trying it out"

Both were silent for a while as they watched the sun fade and the sky take on a dramatic orange effect. Paul took off his jacket and placed it over Gail's shoulders while holding her close to him. In that moment, time stood still and Gail knew that there was nowhere she'd sooner be then in Paul's arms.

Monday afternoon arrived and the couple made their way home, after saying goodbye to Ian at the airport, driving back to Ramsay Street in the taxi, they both reflected on the weekend and looked forward to seeing their children again. On opening the door to Number 22, they were aware of the silence as they walked in.

"So where is everyone?" Gail said slightly nervous of the peace

Paul put down the suitcases and bent down to pick up the post from the coffee table.

"They must be next door" Paul replied "Dad's expecting us for dinner remember?"

Gail smiled "Of course I do...what time is it?

"Just after 5.30pm" Paul replied "We've got another hour until we have to be there, how about we unpack the suitcases and freshen up before going over"

"Okay" Gail said

Later that evening, Gail sat in the garden of Number 26, holding her daughter, softly singing to her as Elle laid her head on Gail's shoulder, while her little fist was placed firmly in her mouth. Gail smiled at the soft gurgling sounds her daughter made. She felt tired and a little overwhelmed; Paul walked up beside her and sat down.

"Sunsets don't have the same effect in the city as they do on a beach do they" he said as he stroked Elle's face.

Gail laughed "I guess not..." she said

Paul sensed a tinge of sadness in her voice "Hey...what are you thinking about?" he asked

Gail turned to him and smiled "Nothing" she replied reaching for his hand "Just a little tired, I remember the party you planned for me this time last year"

Paul placed his arm around her and pulled her and Elle closer to him "I know...I wasn't sure about the party tonight but dad wanted to do something"

Gail smiled "It was lovely. I don't have dad here but I've got the best family I could ever have" she said

"I think they wanted to make a special effort...so that you know how much they love you" Paul said "How much I love you" he added

"I guess you're going back to work tomorrow" Gail said

Paul shook his head "Nope...I'm taking the rest of the week off" he said

Gail looked at him surprised.

"Well...you're not the only one who remembers what happened last year, the argument with Rob, you falling...taking you to the hospital then after getting you checked out we found Rob being brought in. The following day I went to the office when I should have stayed home with you" he said "You needed me but I wasn't there for you"

Gail sighed "Don't keep torturing yourself Paul. You've been there for me every step this year; throughout the birth, the problems with Julie at Christmas, looking after the triplets....I couldn't have done it without you" she said

Paul smiled "That's what I'm here for...it works both ways though.... you help me as well, all the time" he said "My life is dedicated to you and not the Robinson Corporation, that's why I put more staff in the office, they know where they can find me this week and if I'm really needed I will go in, but I know there's nothing they can't handle"

"Thanks" Gail said

"I never want you to feel alone ever again" Paul said, looking at his daughter who had fallen asleep "Hey come on it's time to go home, this one's fallen asleep and don't think the boys are far off"

Gail stood up, gently kissing Paul's cheek she reached out her hand for his, as they went back inside the house. After saying goodbye to the family and thanking them all for the party, they went back home and put the babies to bed. In the dimlight of the nursery they stood and watched their sleeping family, Gail rested her head on Paul's shoulder.

"I love watching them like this" Gail said

Paul laughed "Yep, the only time they're really good" he said

Gail gently slapped him "They're not that bad" she said "But when they're sleeping they're perfect"

"Scott and Charlene said the same thing" Paul replied "Oh I told them not to make too much noise when they come in...so how about you and I have an early night"

Gail kissed him "hmmm" she said "I love you so much"

"Love you too Mrs Robinson" Paul replied as he led her out of the nursery.


	14. Chapter 14

Scott wandered into the nursery as Gail changed Elle, causing her to look up and smile.

"Hey...we didn't wake you did we?" she said

"No, just wondered if you wanted any help" Scott replied "Don't tell me Paul's still in bed"

Gail shook her head "Nope, he's downstairs fixing up their feeds" she replied.

Scott laughed "So he gets the good jobs while you have the dirty nappies" he said "My brother was always good at delegating"

"No, to be fair he does his own fair share of nappy changing" Gail said laughing at the thought.

Gail placed Elle back in the cot, turning Scott suddenly thought how happy she looked "Is everything okay?" Scott asked tentatively attempting to be casual in his approach.

"Of course it is...why do you ask?" Gail replied, frowning slightly bemused by his question

"Julie phoned me after we got returned from the christenings, she wanted to know all about it." Scott said "She then started going on about how things had changed in Ramsay Street, that dad was only concerned about Paul and Lucy"

"Scott you know that's not true" Gail said shaking her head

"she mentioned something about your marriage, that she couldn't see you staying with Paul and at some point you'd leave him" Scott said

Gail rolled her eyes "And you listened to her?" feeling exasperated by Julie's continued claims

"I know my brother" Scott replied "I know what he can be like, arrogant and overbearing"

Gail smiled "Ahem that's my husband you're talking about" she laughed "But I thought you knew me better than that....Scott I chose Paul over New York twice, I almost left him after dad's funeral but I'm here"

Scott laughed "I know, I know, mind your own business Scott" he said

Gail laughed, walking over to Robert's cot she picked him up "No...I'm not saying that...I know you care...I mean without you, I'd probably be in New York now and these three wouldn't be here" she said "Don't listen to anything Julie said, she's just upset, you know your dad loves you...as for me and Paul, she knows nothing about our lives"

"It's a good job she doesn't" Scott said "I can just imagine what she'd say if you she knew the truth about why you got married...you don't ever regret not going to New York?"

Gail looked at the baby in her arms and kissed his head "How could I...New York was my escape route, I was in a hopeless situation...I was in love with a man who didn't love me, but now I have everything I want right here...I love Paul and nothing is ever going to change that...Julie can think what she likes" she said

In an attempt to lighten the discussion Scott explained that he and Charlene thought they would cook dinner that evening "we thought we could play the game we brought with us once the children are down" Scott said

"What game?" Gail asked quizzically

"Oh the marriage game we played a few years back" Scott smirked "Only this time you two can play it properly"

Their conversation was interrupted by Paul walking into the nursery with the bottles of milk.

"What kept you?" Scott said "These three could be dying of thirst"

Paul looked across at Elle who was contently playing in her cot "Nah...don't think so, Elle would have screamed the place down by now if that was the case" he said

"She's so adorable" Scott said

Gail rolled her eyes "Yes and quite an expert at getting the men in this family wrapped around her little finger" she said

"So what are your plans for today?" Paul asked Scott

"Well unless you want us to babysit, we were going to head down to the beach for the day, then come back and make dinner for you" Scott said.

Paul laughed "No I think you've done enough babysitting for a while, you go and enjoy yourselves while we take care of these three" he said "However what's on the menu tonight"

"Italian" Scott said

"Sounds good to me" Paul replied "As long as Charlene is cooking"

Later that morning, Gail was taking the opportunity to tidy the kitchen and lounge whilst the children were napping. Paul walked inside quietly wiping his hands on an old towel after washing the car as the spring weather had given him the opportunity of fine weather. Walking up slowly behind Gail he gently placed his arms around her waist and kissed her neck startling her from her thoughts. Gail sighed as she relaxed against Paul's shoulder secretly relieved of the excuse to stop cleaning.

"Would you like a coffee" she asked instinctively

Paul smiled "I'll make it" he said, walking over to the sink and picking up the kettle. As he looked out the kitchen window he casually said "What do you want to do today?"

"Well if you don't mind babysitting, I thought I would go and visit dad's grave this afternoon and I have a bit of shopping to get" Gail said

Paul turned and looked at her knowing what date was nearing "We could do that together" he said

Without looking up Gail replied "No you're okay, I don't mind going on my own and it'll probably be easier without the children".

Paul sighed, a little frustrated with Gail's answer. He walked over to her and stopped her from cleaning ensuring that she looked at him. Leaning to kiss her on the cheek he paused and thought carefully before continuing "darling you're not listening to me, it's not a hassle to take the triplets, I want to go with you"

Gail's face slowly turned in to a smile and she returned his kiss as a gesture of thanks and reassurance. Paul could see Gail's eyes were a little sad and she seemed thoughtful when he had returned indoors. He knew it was an emotional time for her and was determined he would be there for her in whatever way she needed him. For a few seconds Paul pulled Gail close to him and she rested her head on his chest until she teased him to get back to polishing his car. Eased by Gail's more upbeat mood Paul felt more comfortable and returned outside, each in their own thoughts again.

Later that afternoon, Paul sat on a bench, near to Gail as she tended to Rob's gravestone. His thoughts returned to a year earlier, when he had carelessly put business before his wife's needs, it had almost cost him everything and he knew he never wanted to be in that position again. Gail turned around as she stood up and looked at Paul making faces and talking to the children. She smiled to herself as she could never have been able to envisage how everything would have turned out a year ago, particularly how much she admired the change in Paul. She knew he was close to his family but couldn't have asked for anything more from him. Gail suddenly realised that Paul had looked up from the children and caught her watching him.

"Hey" Paul said "Are you okay?" unsure of the look on Gail's face.

Gail nodded "Yeah..." not wishing to share her personal thoughts with Paul she replied "I think Gloria must have been here earlier" she said. Just in the nick of time Elle let out a squeal to get out of the pushchair prompting them to head towards the car park. Paul reached for Gail's hand and kissed it.

A few hours later Paul and Gail arrived home, Paul carried Robert and Cameron in while Gail brought in a crying Elle.

"What's up with her?" Scott asked

"Doesn't like shopping" Paul replied "Don't blame her to be honest"

Gail rolled her eyes "Well I did tell you that it would be easier for me to go alone" she said

"What happened?" Charlene asked

"Oh Elle places things into the shopping trolley, I take them out turn away for one minute and she's gone and placed something else in there...she wasn't choosy what she put in their either." Paul said

"Could be due to the fact she can't read" Gail said "Stop grumbling Paul, it's like having four children...Charlene take this as a warning not to go shopping with husbands and children"

"And here we were thinking you two had the perfect relationship" Scott said

"You try living with two women" Paul said, as he went back outside to collect the shopping.

A little while later after putting the shopping away and getting the triplets ready for bed, Gail sat folding laundry whilst Paul read the newspaper.

"Any chance that dinner will be served this century?" Paul asked jokingly from behind his paper

Gail gently slapped him "Stop it" she said

"It won't be that long" Scott said "Perfection takes time"

Paul turned his attention back to Gail "Are you okay?" he asked quietly

"Yeah I'm fine...I'm sorry about this afternoon but I did tell you that it would be easier for me to go alone" she said

"Hey I was teasing before" Paul replied "Today was fine...I enjoyed spending time with you and the children...also I didn't want you to be alone"

Paul smiled, pulling her closer he kissed her "I love you Mrs Robinson" he said

Gail laughed as she heard Scott's voice come from the kitchen.

"Cut it out you two, we're trying to prepare food here" he remarked

"Yeah well if you spent a little more time watching what you were doing instead of what we're doing then we might be able to eat sometime tonight" Paul replied

After dinner Paul and Scott washed the dishes while Gail and Charlene checked on the babies. Charlene commented on how angelic they looked when they were asleep to which Gail commented that she should have gone shopping with them this afternoon and that Elle was far from angelic. Charlene looked inside Elle's cot and gently stroked her face.

"She's beautiful" Charlene said

Walking over to the cot Gail smiled "She sure is..but she has a temper on her and knows exactly what she wants" she said

Thoughtfully Charlene commented "I think I'll wait a few years before I even consider having children" Charlene said "Mind you Scott can be childish at times"

Gail laughed "You two are still young, there's plenty of time for you to think about children" she said

"I guess so" Charlene said "But looking at these three...just make me think that it might be nice to have a baby"

"And hard work" Gail reminded her "These three are sleeping through the night now, but when they were first out of hospital they were being fed twice a night...then you have the teething"

"But you wouldn't be without them" Charlene said

"Of course not...these three are so special because of the IVF...they have brought Paul and I closer" Gail replied

After making coffee, Scott and Charlene prepared the 'Marriage Game' which they had played last time they had dinner at number 22.

An hour into the game Scott and Charlene were surprised to see that Paul and Gail were winning.

"Okay" Charlene said turning to Gail "If your partner is in a conversation with someone how do you know that they're bored" she said

Gail laughed as she looked at Paul "Easy...Paul usually starts playing with his rubics cube or puzzle games" she said

Paul looked at her shocked "I do not!" he said

"Oh yes you do...and don't even try and deny it" she said

"Moving on" Gail said as she picked up the cards "Charlene what is Scott's most annoying habit"

"Hmmm so many to choose from" she said thoughtfully "But...possibly taking up the whole of the bed"

"I do not" Scott said "The fact is that you want the entire bed, including my side of it"

"It's a family trait..." Gail said "Paul does the same"

They were interrupted by the sound of one of the babies crying over the intercom. Gail groaned and stood up to go, Paul reached for her hand.

"Leave it for a few minutes...Cam might settle down by himself he's good like that"

Scott and Charlene looked at each other slightly amazed "How do you know it's Cameron?" They asked in unison.

Paul laughed "I'm their father" he said "You get used to their individual sounds, Cameron is slightly louder and a higher pitch than Robert but Elle is definitely the loudest of the three of them"

As they talk the crying ceases, Paul laughs "See I told you" he said, picking up the card.

"Okay you two...which one of you is most likely to bring the other breakfast in bed" Paul said

Scott and Charlene looked at each other and laughed "Neither" they said in unison

Paul raised his eyebrows "What...you mean my brother is incapable of doing a simple thing like bringing his wife breakfast in bed" he said

"Scott burns toast" Charlene replies

"True, true" Paul remarked "Still you could at least make her a cup of tea"

"Have you ever tried Scott's tea" Charlene said

"What is this...pick on Scott day" Scott replied as he picked up a card "Okay Paul where do you see yourself in twenty years time"

"Right here" Paul said looking at Gail and smiling

"What" Scott said "You mean to tell me when you're the head of a multimillion business you tend to live in the street where you grew up in the house next door!"

"What's wrong with that!" Paul said "This Street was good enough for us, so why not bring my children up here...besides look at how many babysitters we have"

Scott laughed "Yeah I knew that there had to be an ulterior motive" he said

"No there isn't" Paul said "Gail loves Ramsay Street and if staying here makes her happy then we won't move"

Gail smiled resting her head on Paul's shoulder.

"Yeah but these houses aren't that big" Scott said

"Dad and Gran managed to bring us up here...mind you sharing a bedroom with you was a bit of a nightmare at times especially with your snoring" Paul said

"I do not snore" Scott said "Hey do you remember the midnight feasts with Julie and Lucy, when they couldn't sleep"

"Do I ever...and then dad would catch us and I always got the blame because I was the eldest and should have known better" Paul replied

"You have all that to look forward to with those three upstairs" Scott said

"So...with all that said" Charlene said "Is marriage forever"

Gail smirked "Sure...until something better turns up" she said, looking at Paul and daring him to comment.

"What..." Paul said, his eyebrows raised

Gail laughed "Your face Paul" she said "Seriously though guys, of course marriage is forever, when you find the right person you hold on to them, I was lucky I married my best friend...even though there are times when I could strangle him"

"You two are too much!" Scott laughed "Okay Paul, truthfully when was the first time you realised you loved Gail"

"That's not fair!" Paul said

"Come on darling...it's a fair question" Gail said teasingly

Paul thought for a moment "Okay, truthfully...the moment I first kissed her" Paul said looking at Gail and knowing exactly what she was thinking.

Gail looked down and shook her head remembering the first time Paul had kissed her meaningfully but said nothing, after a few seconds she looked at him "I thought you said 'truthfully', we both know that's not true" sadly she turned away.

Paul sighed "Gail, trust me it's true...it just took me a long time to realise it" he said

Scott looked at the couple, sensing that it was time to finish the game "Come on let's call it a night with this game... I think you two have won it anyway" he said

Charlene agreed, and suggested that she and Scott make a drink. Gail remarked that she was going to check on the babies.

"I'm sorry Paul...I didn't mean to stir things up" Scott said as Paul joined them in the kitchen.

"Its okay" Paul said "I might just go and see if she's alright"

Paul found Gail in the nursery, watching Cameron sleep, quietly he walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Hey" he said, turning her around

Gail looked at him "Why did you lie" she said

Paul looked her in the eyes, gently stroking her face he smiled "I didn't lie, honestly...that first time I kissed you I felt something shoot through me, the more I think about it the more I realise that it was at that point I knew that I was falling in love, but I couldn't admit it...that's why I pulled away" he said "Darling none of that matters, the only thing that really matters now is this, I love you so much"

Gail smiled "I love you too" she said "This evening was fun though"

Paul laughed "Yes forgot how much I miss my little brother and all his and Charlene's dramas" he said

Walking back downstairs, they joined Scott and Charlene, who were sitting at the table with coffee and biscuits. As he sat down, Paul looked at the plate in front of him and gave a look of surprise.

"Hey those are my favourite coconut biscuits, thought I'd hidden them" he said

"Not hard enough!" Gail laughed

Still uneasy with his recent contact with Julie Scott decided to ask Paul what was wrong with her.

Paul sighed "Do we have to spoil a pleasant evening"

"No....it's just she's been phoning me lately, telling me how much things have changed here...that dad doesn't seem to be interested in her family and that she's no longer welcome here" Scott said

"Scott that's not true...dad told her that she wasn't welcome until she apologized for her behaviour at Christmas, and apparently she told him she wasn't prepared to as she felt she did nothing wrong" Paul said

"I don't understand what she's got against Gail, I accidently told her that we were coming down here to look after the triplets for a few days while you took Gail away for a birthday surprise, she said you two were using us, that we should have said no and that............."

Paul cut him off sitting forward "Look Scott, I don't care what Jules thinks" he said angrily, Gail placed her hand on his back rubbing it gently, as he felt her touch and took it as a sign to calm down he sighed "Scott you know me better than that...you know what Gail and I went through to have these children, you also know the truth about the reason we got married, those days have gone...I have no intention of ever losing Gail or my children"

"Don't listen to her Scott" Gail said "Changing the subject are you two coming down for the triplets' birthday party?"

Charlene frowned "Unfortunately I can't get time of work, but we brought their presents down with us and we're coming for Christmas" she said

A few weeks later, Gail was busy making dinner when Paul came in from work, glancing at the playpen he walked over, seeing the babies settled he smiled and walked into the kitchen, kissing Gail on the cheek.

"How was your day?" she asked

"Long" Paul said "Sorry I had to leave you all day, just a few meetings that needed attending too but tomorrow I'm free"

Gail laughed "You better be matey...I'm not doing our children's birthday party alone" she said

"Hardly alone, darling...you have the whole of the family helping you" he said

Gail smiled and shook her head "We need to make sure we get everything right for tomorrow" she said

Paul walked up behind her and kissed the back of her neck "Darling they're only a year old, I'm sure they're not going to remember this birthday" he said

She turned in his arms and smiled "I know but I just want it to be perfect for them" she said "It's not easy catering for 10 children less than 3 years old and 20 adults"

Paul tweaked her nose and smiled "Just don't want you overdoing it" he said "You look tired"

The following morning, Paul woke to the sun shining through the curtains, he reached out for Gail but found an empty space, where she should have been, sighing he looked at the clock, it was just after 6am, yawning he stretched and got out of bed, grabbing his dressing gown and headed downstairs, passing the nursery as the children remained asleep. Gail sat on the sofa placing goodies into the party bags, sitting down beside her he yawned rubbing his eyes.

"Darling, what are you doing, it's just after 6am?" he said sleepily, placing his head on her shoulder.

"There's so much to do" Gail replied, moving away from him "I have to pick up the cake from Madge's, blow up party balloons, put up the streamers, get the rest of the food ready and take it over to number 26, not to mention getting the triplets ready"

Paul rolled his eyes and stood up heading towards the kitchen.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked sternly

As he turned around she threw a bag a balloons at him "Here you can blow these up, you're so full of hot air it shouldn't take that long" she said, looking down at the bag of balloons he picked them up, pulling a face at Gail before moving into the kitchen. Sleepily placing the bag on the table he went and put the kettle on, automatically removing the prepared bottles from the fridge ready for the children to wake shortly, sighing he turned as he heard Gail curse and saw her throw one of the party bags down. He walked over to her and took her hands in his as he pulled her up to face him.

"You do know this party will be fantastic" he said

Gail looked at him and he saw tears in her eyes "Guess I'm being overbearing aren't I" she said

Paul laughed "Just a tad" he said, smiling.

Later that day Paul and Gail and the rest of the family sat staring at the devastation caused by their children's party, there were party hats crumpled and cake all over the floor, sighing Gail made an attempt to tidy up.

"Leave it Gail" Jim said "We'll take care of it later, you both look shattered"

"I'll put the kettle on" Beverley said, standing up, narrowly avoiding squashing cake into the floor.

"I don't believe how a simple birthday party can cause such chaos" Gail said sitting back down

Helen laughed "You haven't seen anything yet, wait for another few years when you have them running about the place" she said

Helen looked at her concerned "Are you okay...you look really pale" she said

"Yeah she's overdone it I think" Paul said, rolling his eyes "I mean she was up getting things ready at 6am"

"I have not overdone it" Gail said, gently smacking Paul "I've been feeling a bit off colour for a few days"

"Beverley mentioned before that there's been a bug going around, she's had quite a few people in her surgery" Helen said "Maybe you need to rest"

Gail laughed "With three babies!" she said

Jim looked at Paul "Think yourself lucky mate, I remember your mum getting up at the same time as Gail did when she was preparing your first birthday party, not only that she made me get up too" he said

"Yeah well, Gail knows better than to wake me up" Paul said

Gail looked at him and shook her head "Really" she replied

Later that day, Gail sat on the sofa, letting Paul deal with the triplets' bedtime routine. After helping to tidy up number 26 they had returned home, Gail had felt tired so agreed to let Paul look after the children whilst she rested. As she stood to go and investigate the commotion she could hear over the intercom a sudden faintness came over her, throwing her back down on the sofa, hoping the feeling would soon pass she closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. After five minutes she felt slightly better so decided to go upstairs and join Paul. She smiled as she reached the door of the nursery and saw Paul standing over Robert's cot gently stroking his back.

"Hey" she said, creeping up behind him and placing her head on his shoulder, "How's it going up here?"

Paul turned slightly, his hand still gently on the baby's back "Fine" he said quietly "But this one isn't ready to give into sleep just yet"

Gail moved slightly and peered at the baby "Probably too much excitement and too much cake" she said

Paul looked at her slightly concerned at how pale she was "Are you okay?" he asked

She sighed as she replied "Think I just overdid it today, I'll be fine after a good nights sleep" she said

Paul turned and took her in his arms, kissing her gently "How about we let this one to go to sleep, maybe if we leave him he might settle, then we can go downstairs and I'll make us a drink" he said

The couple looked at Robert one last time, before checking on the other two babies; hand in hand they walked out of the nursery, switching off the main light and switching on the night light. Gail went back and sat on the sofa whilst Paul made the coffee. Smiling she picked up the photo albums that she had been flicking through earlier.

"They're changing so much" Gail commented "When you see the first pictures that we took of them"

Paul pulled her closer to him as he sat down with the drinks "Yeah, we'll need a new photo album to put the photos in I took today" he said "Hey are you sure you're okay about me going away to the conference?"

Gail smiled "It's fine" she said "Looking forward to the peace and quiet and being able to do what I want in the evening, watch whatever I want on television"

Paul laughed "I see" he said, "Just as long as you're sure"

Gail turned in his arms and looked at him "Of course I am, besides I know you enjoy those conferences but just remember to bring us something back" Gail said

"Sure a dirty laundry bag will that do you?" he laughed

Gently she smacked him "You dare"

Paul leant over the side of the sofa and picked up his mug of coffee.

"Hey it was nice of Ian to send the triplets some money" he said "Shame he couldn't make it here"

"$100 dollars each" Gail said "That will certainly bump up their bank accounts"

"At least he'll be able to meet the children when he comes down after Christmas" she said "I was thinking earlier..."

Paul laughed "That's always dangerous territory with you darling" he said

Gail frowned but decided not to rise to Paul's last comment "I was just thinking about Louise Hamptead" she said looking at Paul, biting her lip she continued "My birth mother or the woman who gave birth to me"

Paul sighed "Do you want to tell me your thoughts?" he said

"Just wondered if she ever regrets giving me up...did she ever think of me on my first birthday...I know today I was thinking about this time last year when the triplets were born" she said

"Darling...from what Ian said she had very little choice but to give you up...don't forget she was only seventeen" Paul said

"Your parents got married young, so did Scott and Charlene" Gail said reflectively

"Yes but my family have always been different, Gran got married young and as did mum and dad but don't forget dad's reaction to the news that Scott and Charlene were getting married, he thought they were too young" he said "I guess Louise's parents wanted what was best for her"

"Hmm I guess it's in the past now" Gail said

"And we can't change it" Paul said "Besides I don't know if I would want to...well you would have had a different life, probably wouldn't have ended up here and we probably would never have met"

Gail looked at him and laughed "Well when you put it like that..." she said, kissing him

The following morning, Gail was busy getting the triplets' breakfast when Paul came down with his suitcase, she felt a little apprehensive about him leaving her as she still felt a little queasy but she put her feelings aside.

Reluctantly he walked towards Gail "Well I guess I better be going" as he kissed Elle and Robert, narrowly avoiding Cameron's sticky fingers.

Gail walked with Paul to the door, putting his suitcase down on the floor; he hugged both her and Cameron to him "I'm going to miss you" he said

Gail fought back the tears, the last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of him "You'll be back before you know it" she said

"I'll phone you when I get back to the hotel tonight which will be after the first conference" he said "It may be late"

Paul opened the door but hesitated and turned around, Gail smiled at him

"You'll be late" she said kissing him "Love you"

"Love you too" he said kissing her before walking out. Gail closed the door behind him and placing Cameron down, she went to the window, watching Paul as he left. When she could see him no longer she turned and saw the triplet looking intently at her, laughing she walked back into the kitchen as another wave of nausea hit her; holding on to the counter she took a breath trying to shake the feeling. After a few minutes she felt slightly better so went over to Elle who was squirming to get out of the high chair.

A little while later she had finished clearing away the breakfast dishes when there was a knock at the door.

"Hi" she said as she saw Beverley standing outside.

"I saw Paul leave" Beverley replied "Thought I'd come and see how things were, that and Helen mentioned that you were feeling under the weather"

Gail smiled "Yeah I thought I was just overdoing it, but I slept really well last night and still feel queasy, must be a virus"

"Well if you want come and pop in to the surgery and I can run some tests" Beverley said

Later that morning Gail dropped the children at Number 26 with Jim and Helen, enabling her to go and see Beverley.

"Right I think we need to do some blood tests and I might do a pregnancy test as well" Beverley said

Gail laughed "We both know what the result of that would be" she said "I know the IVF said it was possible but I doubt it"

"All the same...there's no harm taking the test" Beverley said

"I should get the result of the pregnancy test by the end of the day and maybe the blood tests by tomorrow lunchtime " Beverley said, as she finished.

"Right I better get back and see what my children are up to" Gail said feeling slightly more upbeat having agreed to the check up.

Gail walked through the back door of Number 26 as she called out. She was struck by how quiet it was; she walked through to the living room and found Helen sitting alone sketching.

"Hi" she said surprised "Where is everyone?"

"Ah, well Jim and Nick decided to take the boys down the park, I think they were calling in to Des' to see if Kerry wanted to join them with Jamie and Sky. I put Elle down for a nap in the main bedroom as she was a bit restless" Helen said.

"Hmm hope she hasn't picked up what I've got" Gail commented "I might go and check on her"

Gail walked into the bedroom, the curtains were slightly closed and there was a quiet tranquillity in the room. As she gently walked over to the bed Elle turned to face her, bleary eyed.

"Hey you, what have you been up to?" Gail cooed gently, Elle's arm reached out for her mother, Gail smiled and lifted her into her arms, kissing Elle's tiny fingers as she lifted them to Gail's mouth.

"Come on you...let's go and see what Grandma Helen is doing" Gail whispered, as she got off the bed.

Helen was walking back into the living room, when Gail closed the bedroom door.

"I see she's awake" Helen said

"Yeah I don't think she was asleep, to be honest...just resting" Gail said "Maybe she wanted some time away from her brothers" as she sat on the sofa

Helen smiled as she sat opposite Gail, watching the tender exchange between mother and daughter, as Gail lovingly stroked Elle's back as the child rested her head on Gail's shoulder "I think she wanted some one to one attention" Helen replied "So did Paul get off okay this morning?"

Gail laughed "Yes...eventually" she said "he is sometimes such a fusspot"

Laughing Helen continued "Are you going to be okay without him for the next four days?"

Gail sighed "I miss him already but I'll cope" she said laughing slightly "He would have stayed if I'd asked him too, but I know he needs to go on these conferences...maybe when they're older we can both go and take the children with us"

"If you need any help you know where we are" Helen said

"Thanks...but I should be okay" Gail said "I don't want to impose"

Helen laughed "They're my great grandchildren...I want to help" she said "There isn't anything I wouldn't do to help you or Paul"

Looking at Helen Gail smiled and tentatively asked "Paul was your favourite wasn't he?"

Helen got up and moved to the other side of the room, sitting next to Gail, gently she touched Elle's fingers "I don't know...there's always been a special bond between Paul and I....oh there are times when I could strangle him...but there's a vulnerability about him that at times is heartbreaking" she said

Gail nodded in agreement "I know, I've seen it" she said reflectively thinking back to the time last year when she saw him sobbing over the three bears and the numerous times she has seen him worry when one of the triplets was sick "He comes across as the big businessman, at times overbearing but I know there's another side to him...he loves his family so much"

"I used to worry about him more than the other three, he hides his feelings, and let things bottle up inside him...I know he did that when his mum died..." Helen said

"Well you don't have to worry about him now" Gail said

Later that evening, Gail was finishing the dishes after putting the triplets to bed, Robert and Cameron settled immediately but Elle was still fretful so Gail had brought her back downstairs, she glanced at the playpen where her daughter sat playing with her koala bear, everything was peaceful. The only sound came from the doorbell; Gail put down the tea towel and went to answer it.

"Beverley" she said surprised "I didn't expect to see you tonight"

"Hey just thought I'd come and see how you were feeling" Beverley said, glancing towards the play pen surprised to see Elle still up "What's wrong with Elle?"

Gail glanced at her daughter "Oh just couldn't get her to settle" she replied "So I'd thought I'd bring her down here instead of letting her disturb the boys...anyway would you like a coffee"

Beverley smiled "Yes sure" she said as she followed Gail into the kitchen. Beverley laughed as she heard the gurgling sounds coming from the playpen "Well there's nothing much wrong with that one" she said

Gail laughed "No except that her daddy's not here" she said "Thinking about it I had the same thing when Paul was in hospital...she started to become clingy then"

As they sat on the sofa with their coffee Beverley asked "How are you coping with Paul away? Are you feeling any better?"

"I still feel a little bit nauseous but it seems to be easing thankfully" Gail replied

Beverley looked thoughtful "Gail...you might have to get used to the nausea, well for a little while anyway. You see I've had the test results back" she said

"That was quick, you said they probably wouldn't be back until tomorrow" Gail said sounding a little confused and surprised.

Beverley smiled "Well where family is concerned I can rush them through...Gail they all came back negative except for one"

Gail looked at her curiously as she put her mug on the coffee table.

"The pregnancy test...Gail it was positive" Beverley said half smiling

Gail looked at her slightly shocked and thought she must have misheard.

"No, there must be some mix up, did you check it again?" she asked casually not thinking anything of the news.

"Gail, I ran the test three times. You are pregnant" Beverley said, watching Gail's face closely for her reaction; the only sound in the room was that of Elle's gurgling which appeared to echo around the walls.

Gail shook her head in disbelief "No....that's impossible...I mean the specialist said I couldn't conceive naturally....I mean the IVF and you know my medical history"

Beverley put her hand on Gail's shoulder "It was positive. Do you remember the clinic telling you about the possibility of a natural pregnancy after your treatment?" Beverley asked

"Well yes...but Paul and I didn't think it would ever happen" Gail said frowning in disbelief

Beverley laughed "Sometimes...the treatment corrects the problem that existed in the first place" she said "No one really understands why that happens but it does"

"There's no mistake" Gail said, getting up and walking over to the playpen, gently picking Elle up and cuddling her close to her.

Beverley shook her head "No" she said "What are you thinking?"

"I can't believe it, after everything we went through with the IVF, the early mornings, the injections, the disappointments and now I'm pregnant naturally, it doesn't feel real" Gail looked down at her daughter, gently stroking her head, suddenly she longed for Paul to be there with her, sighing she looked at Beverley "Paul and I wanted to give the programme one more go...in a few years time, we wanted another baby" she said, laughing slightly "....but that was in the future...I'm just worried that I won't be able to cope with another baby as well as the triplets...this time next year we'll have four children under the age of two...will we be able to cope"

Beverley gently touched her arm "Gail, if anyone can cope you two can" she said "You coped with these three amazingly well...the family are always there for support but you two haven't needed us that much..."

Gail smiled "I just need to get my head around it...I can't believe I'm pregnant...the triplets were special because of the IVF but this one is equally special...I was told that I would never be able to have children naturally" she said

"Gail you and Paul will have all the support you need" Beverley said

"I know" Gail replied allowing herself to smile for the first time since hearing the news.

After Beverley had left, Gail switched the TV on low and cuddled up on the sofa with Elle, within an hour Elle had fallen asleep but Gail didn't want to take her upstairs, she enjoyed the comfort of the moment was bringing. Her thoughts returned to the pregnancy, she couldn't believe that she had managed to conceive naturally, she knew she wanted this baby as much as she wanted the triplets but she was scared. She couldn't help remembering the pain of the last pregnancy, she and Paul feeling miles apart with little communication, without even thinking about how she had felt neglected. She knew things were different now, but part of her was scared, she also didn't want to bring back bad memories for Paul of his mum's death. Her thoughts were interrupted by the ring of the telephone, quickly glancing at Elle she was relieved that the sound hadn't woken her, gently standing she placed Elle on the sofa and went to answer the call.

"Paul" she said with relief as she recognised the voice on the other end.

"Hi darling" he said leaning back on his hotel bed "What are you doing?"

Gail smiled "We're watching TV....how is the conference going?

"Not bad, bit tiring" Paul replied "anyhow who have you got with you?"

"Our daughter" Gail laughed "She's sleeping at the moment"

"She should be in bed!" Paul remarked looking at his watch

"Oh she's been restless all day...practically wouldn't let me leave her sight" Gail replied

"Doesn't sound like her" Paul said "Is she okay?" with concern noticing slightly in his tone

Gail laughed at the concern in Paul's voice "Darling she's fine...I might get Beverley to check her over if she's still unsettled tomorrow but I think it's just the fact that you're not here and she wants to make sure I don't leave her to" she said

"So apart from Elle...how was your day?" Paul asked

Gail smiled looking at her sleeping daughter "Fine..spent some time with Helen, while Jim and Nick took the boys to the park" Gail knew there was so much more she wanted to tell Paul about her day but over the phone wasn't the right time so continued to discuss the routine day that she had had otherwise.

"I was thinking I might come back on Friday night" Paul said thoughtfully "It's only the end of conference dinner which I can miss."

Gail frowned slightly "You don't have to...we're fine" she said

"I might want to" Paul said "It probably be different if you were here with me, but it's no fun in a hotel on my own"

Gail laughed "I miss you too" she said

"I better let you get back to our daughter and get some rest" Paul said "Love you"

"Love you more" Gail said and she smiled and held the receiver to her shoulder after Paul had hung up.

The following day, Gail went into the office for the morning with the children in the crèche. As she sifted through the correspondence in the office, her mind was on Paul and the pregnancy, she wasn't sure how he'd react, she had no doubt that he wanted more children but she also knew that they were still in debt. Lunchtime crept up on her without realising so Gail decided to do some shopping before going to collect the children, as she walked towards the bridge her eyes caught the sight of a mother with a baby in a pushchair and a young girl walking alongside, the mother appeared frustrated with the older child as she whined. Gail looked sadly at the scene; the last thing she wanted was to be like that with her own children.

Later that evening Gail was clearing up the living room which was scattered with toys, smiling to herself she wondered how three little ones could make so much mess. Suddenly she was aware of how quiet the house was, she longed for Paul to hold her in his arms and tell her that everything would be okay, deep inside she knew that Paul would be happy about the baby but she was still uncertain, they were so close and she hated the thought of that changing. Sleep evaded her that night, all she could think about was Paul, she missed him so much and would be glad for tomorrow night to be over as Paul would be home the following evening.

The following day, Gail groaned as one of the triplets woke her as she finally managed to get off to sleep, sighing she got out of bed and wandered into the nursery, Robert sat looking at her, his face tear stained, smiling she picked him up and cuddled him close to her. Later in the morning she went into work for a couple of hours, the triplets were content to be in the crèche, so she thought that work would help settle her mind, she laughed to herself as she realised that when something was on Paul's mind he usually buried his head in a pile of work. They were so alike.

Friday evening finally arrived, Gail put the triplets to bed a little earlier than usual but Elle seemed determined to stay up, Gail rolled her eyes, secretly pleased that her daughter wouldn't sleep as she wanted one of her babies close to her and the boys had worn themselves out. Taking her downstairs, Gail cuddled up to her daughter on the sofa and soon they were both asleep. It was gone 10.30pm by the time Paul arrived home as he had been delayed after all. As he opened the door he noticed the quietness of the house, his heart melted as he looked towards the sofa and found his wife and daughter asleep. Gently walking towards them, he saw Elle stir, kneeling beside them he placed his finger on her lips to quieten her, without disturbing Gail he lifted Elle into his arms.

"Hey come on , you should be in bed little one" he said kissing her forehead, looking at Gail he smiled "Seems like you've worn out your mummy this week" as he carried Elle upstairs who was hazily smiling at Paul.

A little while later, Gail awoke, realising that Elle was not on the sofa with her she sat up, looking around the room. Spotting Paul's suitcase she realised he must have taken her upstairs, her thoughts confirmed when she heard his voice over the intercom, quietly speaking to their daughter. Sleepily she got up and walked into the kitchen, putting the kettle on. Five minutes later Paul joined her.

"So can I now have a hug from my second favourite girl?" he asked smiling as he walked towards her in the kitchen.

Gail looked at him, she never felt so glad to see anyone, walking up to him she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

Paul laughed slightly "Hey what's all this" he said "What's wrong?"

Gail pulled back, there was so much she wanted to say but she didn't know where to start "Nothing" she smiled "I just missed you so much"

Paul gently stroked her cheek "I missed you too" he said "And if I'd known what sort of welcome home I would get I would have been home a lot sooner"

"I've made a drink" Gail said "Let's go and sit down"

"So tell me about the conference" Gail said

"Well some of it was interesting, there were a few good speakers who had new ideas at the way we should be running hotels for business men and the best way to make use of the conference facilities we have, I also made a few good contacts as there were a couple of tourist seminars going on in the same hotel" he said, suddenly aware that Gail wasn't really listening to him. "Gail what's wrong, you haven't heard a word I said"

Gail looked at him "Of course I have" she said, getting off the sofa and going to tidy up the toys scattered on the floor. Paul looked after her with concern and kneeled down beside her.

"What's wrong" he asked putting his hand over hers preventing her from continuing to tidy up. Gail looked at him and couldn't hold her emotions any longer and burst into tears, quickly he pulled her into his arms hugging her tightly, rubbing her back as she cried

"What's wrong, don't tell me nothing as I know something is" he said

Gail sighed, wiping the tears from her eyes "I love you so much" she said

Paul frowned, looking slightly confused...unsure of where the conversation was going "I know...did something happen while I was away" he asked

Gail looked at him but said nothing, unsure of how to tell him about the pregnancy; Paul looked at her anxiously wondering whether his going away had caused her to doubt his commitment to her.

"Paul do you remember the conversation we had in Tassie...about our future" she said

Paul looked at her alarmed, wondering whether she had suddenly decided that she wasn't happy in their relationship and wanted to leave, Gail looked at him sensing his fear.

"I remember" Paul replied slowly "What about it?"

"Paul what do want most in this world?" she asked "I mean what's the most important thing in the world to you"

He looked at her "Do you really have to ask that question?" he said, Gail remained silent, Paul sighed "You are....you and our family that's all I want"

"How big a family?" Gail muttered almost in a whisper

Paul looked at her confused "What do you mean..."

Gail looked away "Paul I saw Beverley while you were away, she ran some tests...."

"Gail are you sick, tell me!" he said, suddenly fearing that this was the lead up to telling him she was really ill.

Gail shook her head "No.." she said, suddenly realising that there was only one way to say what she had to say "I'm pregnant"

Paul's jaw dropped open "You're what?"

Gail sighed "I'm pregnant . . . that was my reaction as well!"

"How?" Paul asked

Gail smiled weakly "I actually asked Beverley the same thing" she said

Paul took her in his arms and hugged her tightly "That's the best news I've heard all day" he said

Gail pulled away slightly "Aren't you even slightly annoyed or alarmed by the news" she said

Paul laughed "Surprised yes...but I'm not unhappy about it" he said "We both wanted another child"

Gail sighed "Yes...but think about it Paul, the triplets are a year old, we've just got them into sleeping through the night and now in seven and a half months time we'll have another baby on our hands, another mouth to feed...how are we going to cope with four children under two years old"

Paul looked at her "The same way we coped with the Cameron, Robert and Elle...by being there for one another" he said

Gail shook her head "I'm scared Paul...I don't want to lose you or what we have now...what happens in six months time when seeing me pregnant reminds you of what happened to your mum, I don't want you to relive those memories, what happens if the pressures of work get to you and we start to drift apart like last time...what if you fall out of love with me" she said

Paul took her hands in his "Okay last time was stressful but we're in a different place now, everything will be fine" he said, looking at her, suddenly a thought dawned on him at where this conversation was going, he realised that Gail may not want to go through with the pregnancy. Pulling away from her he stood up; walking towards the fire place he placed his hands on his neck, rubbing it unable to look at Gail.

"What" Gail asked

Paul turned but was still unable to look at her "I just had a thought, I really hope you're not thinking what I think you may be thinking?" he said sadly

Gail looked at him curiously "Why what do you think I'm thinking?" she said

Paul finally looked at her and Gail saw the hurt and pain in his eyes, suddenly realising what he was thinking, she gasped and exclaimed "No way!" she said

Paul gave a sigh of relief "Well at least that's something" he said

"How could you ever think that I would ever consider anything like that?" she said slightly annoyed at him even thinking that

"Well you don't seem that excited or happy about the baby" he remarked looking her in the eyes and trying to sense her thoughts

Gail shook her head "I'm scared about what could happen...but that doesn't mean that I don't want this baby...Paul it's part of us...this baby was conceived against the odds" she said exasperated

Paul stretched out his arms "Come here Mrs Robinson" he said smiling

Once again Gail closed the gap between them, as she went into Paul's outstretched arms and hugged him tightly, kissing her head he held her; both of them perhaps needing the reassurance and comfort.

"Wow this is going to take a bit of getting used to" he said laughing

"I know...I can't believe you'd think I would ever consider not having our baby... I missed you so much this week" Gail said looking deeply into Paul's eyes. "I want this baby as much as I wanted the last three!"

Paul kissed her "I missed you too...more than you will ever realise....Gail you have nothing to worry about, and as for me falling out of love with you that's impossible...I've never loved anyone the way I love you"

Gail smiled "I feel the same way about you...but what happens when I look fat and frumpy when I'm eight months pregnant" she said grimacing at the thought

Paul laughed "You could never look fat and frumpy...besides you're carrying my baby and nothing is more beautiful than that...ah I love you, I don't want you ever to forget that and you are the most important thing in my life...I want you to be happy"

"I am happy...Paul can we afford another baby though" She asked resting her hand on his chest

Paul nodded "I don't see why not...the business is doing better, conference bookings are up, the Daniels' Corporation in New York is promoting Australia and Lassiters as a tourist destination"

"But what about our overheads . ...not to mention all the work that needs doing on the hotel" Gail said

"Ah well I had another survey done on the hotel" Paul said "after Kevin I didn't really trust his verdict on the structural damage...so I got a good surveyor who says that although there is work to be done it wont be as bad as we think and hopefully it won't interrupt the running of the hotel too much"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Gail asked surprised

Paul laughed "I felt an idiot trusting Kevin and I knew I'd never hear the end of it from you if I told you I got another survey" he said

"mmm, maybe you're right!" Gail replied

Paul kissed her "What are you thinking Mrs Robinson?"

Gail shook her head "Nothing I'm just being silly...it's just when I was shopping today I saw a mother with her two young children, she was angry with the eldest and almost nearly pulled her over rushing...Paul I never want to be in that position, where I view my children as being nuisances" she said

Paul smiled "I can't imagine that happening....look perhaps some parents find it difficult to cope with a new baby after only having one child to look after but we've always had the three babies, at some point they've all demanded attention at the same time, but we've coped, besides I don't think either of us would look at any of our children as a burden...we went through too much to have them" he said "Who knows maybe this one will be a placid girl" Paul said

Gail looked at him "You mean to tell me you don't want another son for your empire" she laughed

Paul shook his head "No I wouldn't mind another daughter, a playmate for Elle" he said defending his thought

"Does that mean that I'll be delegated to being your third favourite girl?" Gail asked

"No...you always have been my number one girl...I just like teasing you" Paul replied "So darling, can we stop worrying about not being able to cope with another baby because I know we can ...we're a family and we will always agree on one thing...our children are the most important thing in this world and there is nothing either of us will do to change this"

Gail smiled "definitely" she said "How about we have an early night...you must be tired after travelling"

Paul laughed, kissing her tenderly "Now you're talking" he said with a teasing nudge from Gail.


	15. Chapter 15

Three weeks later, Paul stood in the doorway of the gift shop, smiling as he watched his family inside, Elle seemed engrossed with pulling the toys of the bottom shelf whilst the boys were busy trying to chase each other round the shop. Gail turned as she heard footsteps behind her.

"Hey" Paul said "I went to pick up the triplets from the crèche but Mrs Kirkwood said you had picked them up half an hour ago"

"Yeah, Gloria popped in so we closed the shop for a bit and collected them, guess I missed them" Gail replied

"I'm sorry I had to ask you to work in here today; we're just understaffed" Paul said

"It's okay...I was close to these three if they needed me" Gail replied

Paul looked at his daughter who was busying herself with the toys "What is madam doing over there?" he asked, laughing

Gail looked and shook her head "Choosing her next bed partner I think" she said laughing

"What happened to Paddington...I noticed him on the floor of the nursery this morning?" Paul said

"Don't know...maybe she got bored...wanted a change" Gail said, walking over to her daughter and picking up the toys that Elle has tossed aside, Paul caught hold of Cameron as he made a dash for the open door, quickly Paul ran over and shut the door.

"Oh no you don't!" Paul laughed, picking Cameron up and swinging him over his shoulder. The child squealed with delight.

"You have to have eyes in the back of your head with these three at the moment; they're moving so fast" Gail said, Paul smiled setting Cameron down he walked back over to Gail.

"Hey come here" he said opening in his arms.

Gail glanced back at her daughter who was still busy pulling toys off the shelf, rolling her eyes she turned to Paul walking into his outstretched arms.

"How are you?" he asked kissing her head

"Fine" she said

Paul pulled back slightly; looking at her he saw how she was glowing something he hadn't noticed when she was pregnant with the triplets,

"No morning sickness or lapse of memory?" Paul asked

Gail shook her head "No...I felt a little queasy but nothing too bad, as for the memory lapse don't go there please...I can't afford that this time not with these three to look after"

Paul smiled "Hey don't worry...this time things will be different I promise" he said

Gail kissed him "I know" she said as Paul pulled her closer and kissed her. Their embrace was interrupted by a toy kangaroo being thrown in their direction; Paul looked and saw the three children with the toys

"Okay you three, game's over" Paul said walking over to them, picking up the toys as he went. Kneeling down he began placing the toys back on the shelf trying to encourage the triplets to help him. Gail laughed as she watched him, in business he expected things done when he wanted them done and had no patience at all but with the triplets he seemed to have the patience in the world, she watched as he tried desperately to get the toys put away whilst the children insisted they hadn't finished playing, anyone else would have been exasperation by this point, walking over she knelt down to help him.

"These three would try the patience of a saint at times" Gail laughed as they managed to get the toys back on the shelf, "Come on let's get them home"

Smiling Paul agreed "Are you ready to go?" he said

Later that evening Gail was busy making dinner whilst Paul put the triplets to bed, she turned when she heard him come downstairs, smiling she saw Robert in his arms.

"What's he doing up?" she asked

"Wouldn't settle" Paul said "I think his teeth are hurting him" as he walked into the kitchen

Gail gently stroked the baby's cheek which felt hot "He's got red cheeks and he's a little hot, there's a teething ring in the fridge why don't you give it him" Gail said.

Paul went to the fridge and got out the teething ring, "Do you need any help?" he asked Gail as he placed the teething ring in Robert's hand.

Gail shook her head "No..go and sit with him on the sofa...dinner will be in ten minutes" she said

Paul kissed the back of her neck as he passed her, then went and sat on the sofa playing with Robert and the teething ring, Gail watched him and smiled

"You do know it's a conspiracy" she said

Paul looked at her "What"

"Well every night one of them wants more attention than the others and won't go to sleep, so we bring them down here for a while until they settle...I swear these three have got a rota going as to which ones stays up late" she said as she walked towards them.

"Hmm you could have a point there" he laughed as Robert gurgled happily.

Gail sat down beside him, gently stroking Robert's back "You do know it's nearly Christmas and we haven't thought about Christmas presents or anything" she said

"I know...do you think we should put a tree up this year?" Paul replied

Gail smiled as she watched Paul and Robert interact, the child squealing with delight as Paul tickled him "Hmm what so these three can pull it down, I'm not sure...we could get a small one I guess" she said

"We could always ask dad and Beverley if they could babysit tomorrow and go shopping" Paul said "It would be easier than traipsing these three around the shops, you know what Elle's like"

"We'll see, come on dinner's nearly ready...why don't you put him in the playpen" Gail replied

An hour later, Gail and Paul were finishing washing up when the doorbell rang, Paul went to answer it checking Robert in the playpen on the way by.

"Hey Gran" he smiled as she opened the door to find Helen on the doorstep "What brings you here?"

"I'm not interrupting your dinner am I?" she asked

"No" Paul said "We're just clearing up"

"Helen would you like a coffee?" Gail called from the kitchen

"That would be good" Helen replied, glancing at the playpen she laughed "What's he doing up, its way past his bedtime"

Paul went and picked Robert out of the playpen "Wouldn't go to sleep" He replied "I think his teeth are troubling him again"

"I see" Helen said "You do know you're going to have one grumpy little boy on your hands in the morning if he's anything like you"

"Well I was just about to take him up to bed" Paul said

Gail joined them in the living room, carrying the tray of coffee, placing it on the coffee table she walked up to Robert in Paul's arms and kissed his head. Helen and Gail sat down as Paul took the baby upstairs.

"You know that child is becoming more like Paul everyday" Helen said

"Do you really think so, the boys are identical" Gail replied

"Yes in looks but not in characters...I can see a lot of Paul in Robert" Helen replied

"Whereas Cameron is more like Scott I think...more layback, Robert has always been more cautious when trying out new things like walking" Gail said

"hmm Paul was just the same" Helen said, they laughed as they heard Paul's voice over the intercom softly speaking to Robert.

"Paul never ceases to amaze me, in business he expects things to be done when he wants them to and hardly has any patience...but these three well he has all the patience in the world" Gail said

Helen laughed "I'm just glad you two are happy" she said "Wish everything else was smooth sailing"

"Why, problems?" Gail asked curiously

"Ah certain people causing trouble...Jim was having a row with his favourite daughter so I left him to it" Helen replied

"What's Lucy done?" Paul interrupted coming downstairs

Helen laughed "No Lucy's fine" she replied "Scott phoned earlier saying that Julie had phoned him saying there was a change of plan for Christmas, that we were going up there anyway he phoned to say that they were still coming down here as Charlene had promised Madge that they were spending Christmas with her"

"I thought Todd and Nick were still going to be here at Christmas, I spoke to Todd the other day and he mentioned that he wasn't going up to Adelaide" Paul said

"Yeah well apparently you two were going to keep an eye on them as you would be too busy with work and the triplets to join the rest of the family" Helen said

Paul rolled his eyes "So of course dad phone Jules" he said

"Yep and they were having a blazing row when I left" Helen said "He told her he has no intentions of going up there this Christmas."

"I gather she's not happy about that" Paul said

"Yeah well she went on about how Jim cares more about the triplets than Hannah and from what I gather started having a go about you two, saying that she thought it would be nice for us to have time away from the triplets and looking after them, I left before the conversation got more heated" Helen said

"So are you planning on going to see her...even if dad doesn't?" Paul asked

Helen shook her head "No...I don't really want to travel up there alone besides I want to see the triplets open their Christmas presents" she said

Paul laughed "Who says they're getting any" he said

Their conversation was cut short by the sound of Jim's voice coming from the back door.

"In here dad" Paul said

Jim walked into the living room, looking at Helen he smiled "I thought you'd be in here" he said

"Things were getting a little heated over there" Helen said "Thought I'd leave you to it"

"Tell me about it" Jim replied "I'm almost tempted to say we'll go up there to shut her up, but I want the whole family together...unfortunately Scott and Charlene have promised Madge that they'll spend Christmas with her but what about you two, will you at least think about coming with us"

Gail looked hesitantly at Paul, reading her thoughts he replied "I'm not sure dad...things were really intense last year"

"Jim I'm really sorry but I don't think I could cope with her constant sniping like last year she's made it perfectly clear that she doesn't like me and that I'm not part of this family" Gail said

"Gail it won't be like it was last year I promise" Jim said

Paul shook his head "Dad...look you go we'll be fine here with the triplets and we'll have Scott and Charlene plus we can keep our eye on the boys" he said

"Paul I want us together at Christmas, I want to see the triplets enjoy their first real Christmas" Jim said suddenly having a thought "Look if you're worried about travelling up with them...don't we'll all help out with them"

Paul looked at Gail,

"What's wrong" Jim said seeing the look that the couple exchanged

"Dad it's not just the travelling...I don't want Gail stressed...they're other factors to consider" Paul said

"What" Jim asked "Is everything okay"

Gail smiled at Paul, she knew they needed to tell the family about the pregnancy at some point and although they were planning to do so at Christmas that was only a few weeks away, she nodded to Paul that it was okay to say something

Paul sighed "Well it's like this..." he said, Gail walked over and sat next to him, placing her hand on his back, relaxing from the sense of her touch he continued "We're going to have another baby and I just don't think travelling is the best thing at the moment"

Jim looked confused "I thought you couldn't have children...the IVF" Jim said

Gail laughed "So did we...but sometimes the IVF corrects the original problem...no one really knows why but sometimes pregnancy is possible after IVF treatment" she said

"That's amazing...how do you two feel about it?" he asked "How long have you known"

"Only a couple of weeks, we were planning on telling you at Christmas" Paul said "It took a bit of getting used to but we're happy about it...we both want more children"

"So when is it due?" Helen asked

Gail looked at Paul and smiled "June 13" she said

"Your wedding anniversary?" Helen said

Gail and Paul laughed "Yes if you can call it that" Paul said "Still we'll have something good to remember about that date now...if the baby arrives when it's due"

"So I guess congratulations are in order" Jim said

Paul and Gail laughed "Yep just think this time next year we'll have four children" Paul remarked "But seriously dad...you go to Jules' this Christmas"

Jim shook his head "I don't know...I'd sooner stay here but she's forever going on about how much attention the triplets get" he said

"I hate to say this but there is another point to consider" Gail said

Jim sighed "Lucy...yes I had thought about that...she won't be happy if I tell her we're going up there" he said "And there's no way she's staying home with the boys"

Gail looked at Paul "She could stay here"

"No I don't think so...it was only an idea to go up there anyway" Jim said "Well I better make a move, see if the kids are home yet" he said standing up.

Later that evening Jim and Beverley sat in the kitchen of number 22, Beverley had just arrived home after doing a late shift and the house was quiet as everyone else was in bed.

"So what are you doing about Christmas?" Beverley asked

Jim looked at her "You knew about Gail's pregnancy" he said

Beverley smiled "Hey come on...patient – doctor confidentiality remember...besides I think they needed to get used to things" she said

"I thought Gail couldn't have children naturally" Jim said

"Well maybe the IVF has changed that, I don't know this could just be a fluke" she said "But either way they're happy and content...so what are you going to do about Christmas?"

Jim frowned "Scott's coming here...Paul and Gail aren't going to travel up to see Julie...If I go..." he said, lowering his voice slightly he continued "Then I don't have Christmas with my family...I miss my grandchildren's first Christmas...well the first one that they'll be aware of"

"Then stay here...look blame on me say I have to work over the Christmas period" Beverley said

Jim smiled and kissed her "You don't mind?" he said

Beverley laughed "After last year...I'd sooner stay here anyway" she said "Besides I'm sure we'll have more fun with the triplets than with Julie"

"I don't know...I always promised Ann that no matter what I would always consider her my daughter...but last year...I saw so much of her real father in her that to be honest, part of me doesn't care if I ever see her again" he said "I never wanted to feel that way, we've put up with her bossiness over the year but last year she was just vicious"

"Tell me about it" Beverley laughed "I've never been so pleased to see a member of your family leave" she said

A few days later, Gail was busily preparing the meal when she heard the doorbell ring, drying her hands on a towel she went to open it.

"Hi Jim" she smiled as she opened the door

"I'm not interrupting dinner am I" Jim replied

"No...come in, Paul's still at work, he had a late meeting" Gail said

"Working...I didn't think he worked past 5pm these days" Jim said

Gail laughed "It was just a meeting with a potential Investor, he thought it would be best for us to bring the triplets home and get them ready for bed and then go the meeting, he shouldn't be too long" she said "Do you want a coffee?"

"Sure" Jim said "So the triplets are sound asleep are they?"

Gail picked up the kettle and filed it with water before putting it back on the counter "Yes...in fact they fell asleep in the car on the way home...poor little things wore themselves out today" she said

"I peeked into the crèche this afternoon, just to see them and they were busy playing, they're quite sociable" Jim said

Gail smiled, as she heard the kettle boiled she picked it up pouring water into the mugs "Elle and Cameron are but Robert is still a little reserved at times" she said

"Just like his dad" Jim laughed

"And look how he turned out" Gail laughed, handing Jim his coffee "Have you decided what you're doing for Christmas?"

Walking into the living room, Jim sat on the sofa whilst Gail sat opposite him, placing her mug on the coffee table.

"Well we're staying here" Jim said "To be honest Lucy doesn't want to go, and Helen got a phone call from Rosemary saying that she was coming down for Christmas again"

"Maybe next year" Gail commented

Jim laughed "I doubt it, Lucy isn't known for her forgiving nature" he said "So how are things here with you two"

"Busy" Gail said "With the children and the hotel and now there's the new baby to look forward to" she said "But we're coping"

Jim looked at Gail slightly concerned that another baby would add more pressure on their marriage "Just make sure Paul pulls his weight" he said

Gail smiled "Oh I don't need to worry about that." She said "He's a really good father; we've started sharing the business and the children, if there's a meeting he feels that I'll handle better than him he'll let me go into work whilst he takes care of the triplets"

Jim shook his head "I just worry about you two...from the very start you've wanted to look after the children yourself without any real help from us...it's bound to put a strain on things" he said

"Trust me it doesn't...this past year we've come out stronger than ever before...nothing's going to change that" Gail said, understanding Jim's concerns after the last pregnancy "Not even this pregnancy...I know last time things were really difficult between us, but this past year we've put that in the past"

"I'm sorry...I would just hate to see the situation that I saw last time...he was devastated when he thought you had gone" Jim said

Gail sighed as she remembered the scene she walked back into the house "Don't worry...it isn't going to happen again...I love him too much" she said

"You're the best thing that ever happened to him...you've grounded him, given him the family he wanted" Jim said "I've seen how devastated he's been when relationships fail...I'd used to worry that he'd end up bitter and twisted"

Gail smiled, placing a hand on her stomach she thought about the new life growing inside her "I think we were both in danger of being bitter and twisted" she said reflectively "That's why we went into the Marriage of Convenience, to protect ourselves and of course the business deal"

"You had us all fooled" Jim laughed but remembering the anger he felt when he realised that the two of them had made a mockery of the marriage vows.

Gail shook her head "No...we fooled ourselves...we were both so caught up in protecting ourselves that we didn't see what was happening" she said

"As long as everything's okay" Jim said

"Don't worry if he starts being a workaholic again I'll set Elle on him, she's good at wrapping him around her little finger" Gail laughed

An hour and a half later, Gail frowned when she saw the time, Jim had left half an hour ago and Paul still wasn't home, dinner would be ruined if he wasn't home soon, sighing she picked up the phone, she was about to dial when the front door opened. Paul saw the look on Gail's face.

"I'm sorry I'm late" Paul said "The meeting went on longer than I hoped it would, then there was a problem at the Waterhole, and then just as I was about to leave I had a phone call from Mr Udigawa"

"What did he want?" Gail asked

Paul moved closer to her "He's interested in working with us again, actually he was interesting in working with the Daniel's Corporation but as the project is to be here Rosemary put him in touch with us" he said "It could be a real money spinner"

Gail laughed "Ah my wheeler dealer husband is back" she said

Paul looked at her, reading her thoughts he took her hand in his, smiling he shook his head "No...It's just the deal he's offering is a good deal but I want you with me on this...you're a brilliant negotiator where he's concerned" he said

Gail laughed "Flattery will get you everywhere" she replied

Paul smiled "Anyway no more talk about business, how's everything here...the children still in bed?"

"Well your dinner's almost burnt, the kids are fine and your dad dropped in" Gail said "Think he's worried about how we're going to manage with another baby"

"We will manage" Paul said pulling her into his arms, placing his hand on her stomach he smiled "So how is this little one then?"

Gail laughed "Fine...I had a letter from the hospital today, my first scan is scheduled for the week after Christmas...do you want to join me" she said.

"Try stopping me!" Paul replied "Just think then we can find out if this is one baby or whether we have triple trouble"

Gail shook her head and hit his arm "Don't go there" she said "Right do you want your dinner whilst it's still edible?"

"Okay" Paul said "Just let me go upstairs and get out of this suit"

The next few weeks flew by quickly, the hotel was busy with Christmas parties and various other events and Paul was working longer hours than he cared to, checking his watch he saw that it was 3.30pm and Christmas Eve, he decided it was time to go home. Closing up the office, he then checked to make sure that everything was running smoothly at the Waterhole and the hotel before heading home. On opening the front door he was struck by how quiet things seemed inside, smiling to himself he saw Gail curled up asleep on the sofa, the triplets were nowhere in sight. Walking over to the sofa he knelt down and gently planted a kiss on Gail's cheek. Gail stirred and opened her eyes.

"Hey" he said gently "I don't know, I've spent my day working hard whilst you enjoy yourself, lazing around on the sofa"

Gail sat up and gently smacked his arm "Hey I've only just finished working" she said

Paul got up and sat down beside her, pulling her towards him "Where's the triplets?" he asked "Don't tell me you've got them to take a nap"

"I did earlier...but Scott, Charlene and Lucy called to take them to the park about half an hour ago" Gail replied

"They better watch them carefully" Paul said "Especially now that they're walking"

Gail shook her head and laughed "That's why you had a fence put around the park area, don't worry they'll be careful" she said

Paul looked at her "How are you?" he asked "Not overdoing things I hope"

"No...just wanted to make sure the house was tidy for tomorrow which isn't easy with the children" she said "Gloria came around this morning and brought some presents"

"That's nice" Paul said "Do you want a coffee?"

"I'll make it" Gail said "You've been working all day"

Paul kissed her "No you sit and rest" he said standing up and walking towards the kitchen.

"So how was your day?" Gail asked

"Fine but long" Paul said "Kept thinking of all the things I could be doing here"

Gail frowned, standing up she walked over to him placing her arms around his waist.

"Thought you were resting" Paul laughed

Gail smiled and kissed the back of his neck "No" she said "What's bothering you?"

Paul turned in her arms and sighed, gently he stroked her face "I don't know...just keep thinking about your last pregnancy and how I didn't pick up how neglected you felt...just don't want to make the same mistake again...I love you so much" he said

"I love you too...darling we're not in the same position we were last time...the company is doing okay, we're not in so much debt...we have a number of interested Investors including Rosemary...and I'm still able to work" Gail said

Paul smiled "Just promise me that if things start getting too much or you feel...like you did last time that you'll tell me" he said

"Of course" she said "Sometimes you worry too much"

Paul sighed "Where you and the children are concerned I can't worry enough" he said "You do know that if you asked I'd give up the Robinson Corporation"

Gail smiled "It won't come to that" she said kissing him "Come on let's go and sit down"

Paul turned and poured water in the cups, picking them up he walked over to the sofa, Gail followed him. Sitting down on the sofa, Paul pulled Gail closer to him.

"Are you working next week?" Gail asked

Paul shook his head "No...there's a few meetings that I need to go in for but other than that I don't intend to go in before the New Year" he said

"So I get you all to myself do I" Gail said smiling, resting her head on his shoulder

"Not exactly...we still have the children remember" he laughed, placing his hand on her stomach "Speaking of which how this little one doing is, behaving herself I hope"

Gail rolled her eyes "Paul!"

"What" he said innocently

"This one could be a boy" she said "Don't set your heart on another girl...you may be disappointed"

Paul smiled "No way...I don't mind what we have...let's be honest neither of us were sure whether we would have children...now look at us" he said

"mmm" Gail replied, smiling picking up her coffee mug "By the way Ian phoned today"

"Is he still coming to see us?" Paul asked

"Mmm two days after Christmas...he wanted to know how things were going and mentioned that his offer of Investing in the Robinson Corporation and also helping financially with the children is still on the table" she said

"hmm I know it makes sense to take him up on his offer especially with the new baby but...I don't know it just doesn't feel the right thing to do...this family is my responsibility" Paul said

Gail laughed

"What?" Paul said

"Nothing...just thinking if he had offered that to Jeremy..."

"He would have cashed the cheque before the ink had dried" Paul said "And you wouldn't have seen any of it...but I'm not him"

Gail gently stroked his cheek and kissed him "No" she said quietly "You're not him"

Paul closed his eyes, remembering how Jeremy Lord had hurt Gail not once but twice, sighing he said quietly "That man was an idiot...but then if he hadn't have been look what I would have missed out on"

Gail stayed silent, closing her eyes for a moment, opening them she looked at Paul and smiled "so am I...you've given me so much more than he ever did...and most of all I know you're faithful" she said

"Why would I ever want anyone else when I have you" he said

Gail laughed "Paul...please" she said

"Okay...but I'm serious...I've never loved anyone as much as I love you" he said

"Christmas is getting to you" Gail laughed "But I feel the same way about you...I thought I was over Jeremy but then he walked into my life and I fell for his lies once again...but it's only these past few years with you that I've really felt...I don't know...real love" she said

Paul put down his coffee mug and pulled her closer to him "How long do we have before the children come home" he said

Gail laughed and gently smacked him "Behave yourself" she said "Actually the kids should be back any minute"

"Spoilsport" Paul grinned "So where is Ian staying?"

"He said he'll be fine at the hotel...I did say he could stay here" Gail replied "But he said he'd be fine at the hotel...think he's nervous about coming down"

"Okay...I'll make sure he's booked into a decent at the hotel...I mean we need to take care of our potential investors" Paul said

Gail laughed "Hey what do you mean...our rooms are the best hotel rooms in Australia" she said

"One day they will be" Paul said "In fact one day our hotel will be the best tourist destination in Australia." He said

Gail laughed "Yeah if you've got anything to do with it!"

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of laughter coming from outside. Paul smiled

"The kids are back" he said, standing up he reached for Gail's hand pulling her up. Together they walked to the door and opened it, standing in the doorway as Scott, Charlene and Lucy made their way up the drive with the pushchairs. Paul took one look at his children's clothes and laughed.

"You've been feeding my children ice cream" he remarked as he helped Scott bring the pushchairs inside.

"Yeah and your daughter is greedy" Lucy remarked

Paul looked at his daughter sitting peacefully for once in the pushchair, a look of innocence on her face.

"What happened" Gail asked

"Oh she decided one ice cream wasn't enough, so after quickly finishing hers, she made a grab for Cameron's" Scott said "I thought world war three was going to break out"

"She takes after her mother" Paul said as he lifted Robert out of the pushchair and set him down in the living room.

"Watch it" Gail said

"Dada" Elle screamed trying to get out from the pushchair.

"Okay bossy," Paul said as he went to her, lifting her out, placing her on the floor.

Having finally got Cameron out of his pushchair, Gail walked to the kitchen turning around and saying "Do you three want a drink?"

"Yes" they answered in unison.

"Don't tell me these three wore you out, I have to say I'm impressed that you managed to keep their hats on them" Paul said

"Yeah well it was a bit of a struggle" Lucy said

Charlene went to help Gail with the coffee, whilst Lucy and Scott sat on the floor playing with the children.

"Are you coming to dad's barbeque tomorrow?" Scott asked

"Should be" Paul said "Depend on how these three behave"

"We were going to go in the pool after lunch, can we take them with us" Lucy asked

Paul shook his head "Not this year munchkin they're too small, maybe next year."

"Maybe we can put the paddling pool in the garden for them" Gail said, carrying in the tray of drinks "We'll have to see how hot it is"

"At least they haven't tired you out too much" Paul laughed

"Apart from the ice cream, which was entirely Elle being naughty, they've been fine" Charlene said "Let us know if you need a babysitter over Christmas"

Gail laughed "You may regret saying that!" she said

A week later Paul sat in the living room opposite Ian Chadwick, listening to the sound of Gail trying to soothe Elle over the intercom.

"She's not going to go to sleep is she!" Ian laughed

Paul rolled his eyes "No...I bet you five dollars they'll both be down here in five minutes" he said "The three of them have got overexcited this week but the boys have tired themselves out but not Elle"

Ian smiled "How are things anyway, Gail looks happy" he said

"Hmm...After last year things have been really good this year...we've had a few ups and downs but we've worked through them as a team" Paul replied "Just have to make sure that I'm focussed on her and the children and not yet work take over"

"Well like I said when you were in Tasmania it's very easy to let work take a hold on you" Ian said

"At the moment she's still able to work, so we're sharing the responsibility of looking after the children and the business but I know that there's going to come a time when she can't work and that's when I need to be careful" Paul said "I can't believe how insensitive I was at times during her last pregnancy"

"Don't be too hard on yourself...you were trying to build a future for your family...I did the same only problem was I didn't realise how much I neglected my family until it was too late. One day I suddenly realised that my boys were grown up and I didn't really know them and my marriage was more or less over" Ian said

"Yeah well it took Gail walking out on me to make me see what was happening" Paul said "I can't believe I left her at Rob's wake to go to a meeting, but at the time I thought she wouldn't care if I was there or not"

"Would you have stayed if she had asked you?" Ian asked

"Yes" Paul said "But she shouldn't have needed to ask me"

"Don't beat yourself up about it...it's in the past." Ian said "You two have something special; I saw it when I was first down here and it's still there but it's stronger now...I wish my marriage had been like that"

Paul sighed "What can I say...she's my best friend...always has been" he said laughing as he saw Gail coming down the stairs carrying Elle "What did I tell you!"

Gail looked at Paul and frowned "What?" she said walking towards the sofa and sitting down next to him cuddling Elle.

"Dada" Elle squealed

Paul laughed as he took her outstretched hand "You should be in bed, little girl" he said

Gail laughed "Yes but she's not having any of it...brought her downstairs as the boys are fast asleep" she said

"Do you want me to take her?" Paul asked

"No...She's fine; I'll just cuddle her until she falls asleep..." Gail said

"That could take a while" Paul laughed as Elle rested her head on Gail's shoulder, her thumb going into her mouth but eyes wide.

Ian laughed "So when is the new baby due" he asked

"June 13th" Paul said

"Are you two going to be able to cope?" Ian said

Gail laughed gently rubbing Elle's back "We coped with these three...what's one more!" she said

"I know you can cope with the children...I was thinking more financially. My offer of help is still there...I can create a trust fund for the children plus I'm willing to invest in the Corporation" Ian said

Paul sighed looking at Gail, "It's a really generous offer...but we can't accept it" He said

"I agree" Gail said

"But why not...all I want to do is secure your future...Gail let me give your children the security that I couldn't give you when you were growing up" Ian said, looking across at Paul he saw him frown.

"Ian...I'm sorry but this is my family and if anyone is going to give them security it's me...I'll make sure they never want for anything" Paul said

"I know you will..all I want to do is help...I know how hard it can be building a business, and that sometimes we put all our energy into that and forget what's important...all I want is to make sure you don't have to worry about money...that if you need it it's there" Ian said

Gail looked at Paul, "I guess there's no harm in a trust fund that the children could use when they're older" she said

Paul relaxed a little, what Ian was offering was generous and it didn't make sense to turn it down "Okay...but why would you want to invest in the Robinson Corporation" he said

"I happen to believe it's a sound investment plus when I come and visit I can get cheaper rates at the hotel" Ian replied laughing

Gail turned to Paul "Darling we know you will always provide for our family and that our children will never want for anything but don't forget the phrase 'never look a gifthorse in the mouth" she said

"Okay...you win; but whatever money you give us is for the children" Paul said "And if you want to invest in the Robinson Corporation then I guess that's fine too"

"Good" Ian said

Ian looked at the baby, softly gurgling "So what are you hoping the new baby will be?" He asked

"Happy" Paul said "We don't mind, we have three perfect, healthy children, I just want this one to be the same, although it would be nice to have another girl to keep Elle company"

"I don't think Elle is suffering with being the only girl" Ian said

Paul looked at his daughter, fighting to keep her eyes opened as she watched him; he gently smiled and stroked her cheek "You're supposed to be going to sleep" he cooed

"She's nearly there, I think" Gail said

"Dadda" Elle said sleepily, Paul smiled, placing his hand on top of Gail's as she gently rubbed the child's back, Ian watched the tender exchange.

"Hey I'm going to take her to bed, think she's ready to settle now" Gail said

"Do you want me to do it?" Paul asked as he kissed Elle's head

Gail shook her head "No...I'll do it" she said, standing up, her hand still unconsciously rubbing Elle's back, listening to the soft cooing sound that Elle was making.

Ian and Paul watched them walk upstairs, a comfortable silence between them.

"You're so lucky" Ian said breaking the silence

Paul smiled "I can't imagine being with anyone else and being this happy" He said

"Watching you with Elle..I don't know...I almost feel envious..I always wanted a daughter but I got two sons, neither of which I feel close to" Ian said

"Elle's a princess, both Gail and I have strong bonds with all three children; in their own way they're all special...but Elle...was the smallest of the three babies...for me her birth was traumatic as Gail lost consciousness and I almost saw what happened to my mum happen to her and that scared me" Paul said "But both Elle and Gail came through and she's always been the most vocal of the triplets, her christening she screamed the place down, she knows exactly what she wants and what she doesn't want...she has a very strong character and even now she knows how to keep her brothers in line" Paul said "In fact she takes after her mother"

Ian laughed "Are you saying my daughter is bossy" he said

Paul shook his head "Feisty, stubborn and at times argumentative" he said

"That's funny, I heard your father say the same thing about you" Ian said

"He could be right" Paul said, as Gail walked back into the room.

"Who's right about what?" Gail asked

"Dad says I'm stubborn" Paul replied "So is she asleep"

Gail laughed "Sound asleep, was almost asleep by the time her head hit the pillow, although she did manage to throw Paddington out the cot beforehand" she said

Paul frowned "What is it about Paddington?" he said "She used to love that bear"

"She still does...but he takes up too much room for her liking" Gail said "She's gone back to Koala bear"

"She's just over a year old...what is she going to be like in ten years time" Ian said

"Don't go there" Paul replied

Ian looked at his watch "I should be getting back to the hotel" he said "Thanks for a nice evening"

"You can join us tomorrow for dinner if you want or even come and spend the day with us" Gail said

"Thanks that would be nice" Ian said as he stood up, Gail and Paul walked to the door with him, Paul putting his arm around Gail's shoulder as they watched Ian leave. After closing the door, Paul headed into the kitchen to make a drink, Gail followed him.

"I think he still feels a little strange being here" Gail said "To be honest so do I"

Paul smiled, turning back towards her, he put his hands on her shoulders "Give it some time...it must be hard for him, he wanted to bring you up but wasn't able to...I think he finds it hard seeing me with Elle, he told me he always wanted a daughter" he said "You just need to get to know each other again"

Gail smiled "You're right." She said "What would I do without you"

Paul laughed "You're never going to know the answer to that question" he said pulling her closer to him and kissing her. Gently he pulled away and turned back to the sideboard as he heard the kettle boil. Gail looked at him as he poured water into the mugs.

"Oh I forgot I've got something for you" she said as she reached in to her trouser's pocket.

Paul looked at her curiously, picking up the coffee mugs.

"Let's go and sit down" She smiled as she walked back into the living room.

Paul sat down and pulled her close to him, kissing her head "So what's on your mind Mrs Robinson" he said smiling

Gail opened her hand, showing him the small package "Open it"

Paul took it from her, gently he laughed as he opened the box and saw the wedding ring "Gail" he said

"I know you said you didn't need one...but I don't know, I just want you to have one" she said

"I don't need one" he said "But if it makes you happy...I'll wear it"

Gail smiled, taking the ring from the box; she picked up his hand and placed it on his ring finger. Paul looked at her, laughing he shook his head "Happy now" he said looking at their entwined fingers.

"Yes" she said "I want to make sure that every woman knows you're taken"

Paul laughed "I never realised how possessive you were Mrs Robinson" he said

Gail gently slapped him "Only where my family are concerned" she said picking up her coffee mug from the table.

"You're amazing...and if I have to say it a hundred times I will...I love you and only you" Paul said

Gail cuddled up closer to him "I know that" she replied "This Christmas has been really good, it's been nice having Scott and Charlene back"

"It's been fun with the children as well; I can't believe how much they've changed since last year" Paul said "They're becoming their own people...with their own characters"

Gail laughed "Yes and your daughter is going to be the boss of the three of them" she said "Did you see the way she wanted not only her presents but her brothers' too"

"She takes after you" Paul said "It's strange how she was the smallest of the three of them but she's always been a character, always manage to make her feelings known"

"I can't wait to find out what our next child is going be like" Gail said

"Me neither" Paul said "I have to say you are glowing at the moment, moreso than when you were pregnant with the triplets"

"Think I was just stressed out then, what with the shoplifting, having to give up work and then spending hours on end on my own" Gail replied "I guess it got to me"

"Hardly surprising...but this time you don't have to give up work; the triplets don't mind being left in the crèche for a couple of hours in the afternoon, which means you can come into the office...besides with Mr Udigawa interested in working with us again, there's no one I trust more than you to deal with him" Paul said

Gail laughed "You've got it made haven't you, I mean Mr Udigawa interested in doing business with us, Ian interested in investing in the Robinson Corporation and of course Rosemary offering to make a small investment" she said "So when you're a multi millionaire will you still want to live in Ramsay Street?"

"If it's where you want to be then yes" Paul said "I've been trying to persuade Hilary to take back her investment"

"Maybe one day she will...but she's been staying in the background lately so don't rock the boat" Gail said "At least if she ever does threaten or decide to remove her investment we've got the money to buy her out"

"That's true" Paul said "I also need to look at the office, we need a bigger one...I mean in the old days there was just you, me and Jane working there but now there's six of us and although we manage to go between the office and the hotel it would be nice to have the administrative side of the business in one place"

"You're right there" Gail said "Maybe you can expand out from the back...I mean it's in the ideal spot so you don't really want to move it"

Paul laughed "There's nowhere to move it to" he said "It's a shame we could never develop the lake area...there's so much unused space"

"It was the right thing to do Paul" Gail said

"I also want to develop the park area...well we're using it more and more for the triplets and the equipment is getting old and shabby...however it would mean closing it for a while and I'm not sure how that would go down" Paul said

"As long as you're not thinking of using it for alternative things like office space or anything it should be fine...you're right it could do with an update...have we got the money for that though" Gail asked

"I think so...with the rezoning and selling of the land we couldn't use last year and the new investments we're almost out of the red, plus hotel bookings for both tourists and conferences are up and hopefully next year we can start on getting the structural side of the hotel sorted, so I think we're doing fine...plus although the park may seem a unnecessary cost at the moment, it's needs to meet safety standards for the children" Paul said

Gail kissed him "So the hard business man Paul Robinson has a heart" she said

Taking the coffee mug from her hand and placing it on the table, Paul tickled her, laughing as she tried to push him away "Hey I'm looking out for my family" he said

The next day, Paul was busy washing the car when Ian walked up the drive.

"Hey that's what carwashes are for" Ian said laughing

Paul turned at the sound of his voice and laughed "I know that but lately I've started enjoying things like cleaning the car and working in the garden" he said

"Is Gail inside?" Ian asked

"Yes she is...the triplets are also causing chaos" Paul replied "It was easier keeping them under control when they couldn't crawl or walk...now you have to watch their every move..."

"Well I'll go and see what they're up to" Ian said "See you shortly"

"Sure", Paul said as he return to washing the car.

Ian went round the back and saw Gail hanging out the washing.

"Do you two ever rest?" Ian asked laughing, "You're hanging out the washing whilst he's washing the car"

"Hi" Gail laughed "These days we never seem to be free of washing, do you want a coffee?"

"Sure" Ian said as Gail walked inside carrying the washing basket. Looking into the living room he saw the triplets playing on the floor.

"Those three seem happy today" he said

"They were up early" Gail said, looking at the mess on the floor she laughed "It's so hard to keep the place tidy though...we can't keep them in the playpen anymore they've out grown it" she said, putting water in the kettle.

"Don't worry about what the house looks like, as long as everything else is okay that's all that matters" Ian said "Is Paul okay with me wanting to help out financially"

Gail smiled "I think so, although I think it was a discussion he knew he wouldn't win...I think he just needs to feel that he's supporting this family himself" she said

"But he is...all I want to do is help...I couldn't help you financially when you were growing up but I can help with your family if you need it" he said "And with the growing family you have..."

"I know" Gail replied

"Besides Investing in the hotel is a sound investment" Ian said "As for the trust funds, they are my grandchildren"

Gail was silent for a moment..her thoughts turning to Rob and how much he had been looking forward to seeing his grandchildren.

"I'm sorry" Ian said

Gail shook her head and looked at him "It's okay...it's just difficult at times with dad not being here...he was looking forward to seeing his grandchildren"

"I know and I can't take his place...but it doesn't mean that I want to stay away...I want to get to know you and watch this family grow" Ian said

Gail smiled "It's fine really...can you go and tell Paul there's a mug of coffee for him" she said

"Sure" Ian replied, a short while later Paul and Ian walked back into the house, seeing his father Robert toddled over to him, holding out his arms to be picked up. Paul crouched down and lifted the child into his arms, sitting down on the sofa. Picking up a picture book from the side of the sofa, he opened it and let Robert look through it. Gail went and sat next to him and Ian took the sofa opposite.

"He's definitely the quietest of the three" Ian commented as he watched the interaction between Paul and Robert, Paul named the baby animals in the book as Robert pointed to them.

Gail stroked Robert's face smiling "He always has been...he will sit for ages looking at books or even watching Helen paint whereas Cameron and Lucinda haven't got the time, they're more active"

Ian laughed.

"Gran thinks he's the one most like me" Paul commented, looking up from the book.

"I'm not so sure about that" Gail laughed

"Robert's shy...he takes awhile to get used to people, Cameron is like my brother...laid back whereas Lucinda is a mixture between Lucy and Gail" Paul said "She knows what she wants and how to get it"

Ian laughed "There's so much of your life that I've missed out on" he said "I hardly know anything about how you grew up"

Gail smiled "There's not much to tell...growing up was mainly going where the racing circuit was until dad packed it in...a normal childhood...or I thought it was at the time, then there was the airline days...until I came here I guess I spent my life moving around"

"I'm surprised your school work didn't suffer...I mean moving around so much" Ian said

Gail shook her head "No...mum and dad always made sure that during the school terms I was always in school and that I finished my homework." She said "It was a different way of life but not one that I want for these three...whilst it was fun...I want my children to have more stability"

"You worked for the airlines?" Ian said slightly surprised

Gail laughed seeing the surprise on his face "Yes for a while" she said

"We both did" Paul said "In fact she was my supervisor...a real tyrant to be honest"

Ian laughed as Gail slapped Paul

"I was not...you didn't like having a woman in charge of you" she said

"I didn't like having anybody in charge of me...that's why I liked being my own boss" he remarked.

"So I take it you didn't get on...in the beginning I mean" Ian said

"Not at all...we lost touch once I left the airlines" Paul said "But then one day Gail walked into my office wanting a job...I remember her first words to me was that if she had known that I had put the ad in the paper she wouldn't have bothered"

"At the time it was true" Gail said

"What changed?" Ian asked

"I guess we realised we worked well together and that old adversaries are never that bad" Paul said laughing

"So you went from not liking each other to marrying" Ian said

Gail smiled "In a way yes..."

"But it was a little bit more complex than that" Paul said looking at Gail.

Ian looked at him curiously "How so"

Gail rolled her eyes, not knowing whether she really wanted to get into this conversation. Paul frowned seeing her face, remembering that not even Rob knew the truth about their marriage; they had only really explained it to his family. Ian sensed their reluctance to talk about it.

"Okay you don't have to say anything" Ian said smiling.

Gail looked up to see Elle toddling towards her carrying her doll, smiling she lifted her onto her knee. Sighing she looked at Ian and then at Paul, smiling.

"We had a business marriage in the beginning...both of us had gone through really bad relationships in the past and neither of us wanted that again" she began

"An opportunity came up with a Japanese business man and I knew how much the Japanese prefer to work with family orientated men, so I told him that Gail and I were going to get married, without discussing it with her first" Paul said, smiling as he remembered Gail's reaction to his proposal.

"At the time I nearly killed him for suggesting it" Gail remarked "But then..." closing her eyes she tried to block out images of Jeremy Lord that had crept into her brain "something happened that made me see that being married to Paul gave me an insurance that would prevent me from getting into anymore bad relationships" she said

"I always thought you two had the perfect relationship" Ian said

"We did..." Paul said "We were best friends...and being together all the time we fell in love but we were both too scared to admit..."

"So that's why your wedding anniversary isn't that important to you" Ian said

"The day we renewed our vows is more important and it's the one we celebrate...the new baby is due around our wedding anniversary so maybe in time it will have more of a meaning" Gail said

"At the time it was what was right for us...I'm not saying it was the right thing to do...but the reason we stayed together was for the right reason" Paul said "It's not something either of us talk about anymore"

"I can understand why...but as long as you're happy now that's all that matters" Ian said

"We are" Gail said, Elle squeaked as Gail held her tighter. Paul laughed picking up his mug of coffee carefully, ensuring he held it away from Robert who was still looking at his book.

"So is there anything else I should know" Ian laughed

Paul shook his head "No...whatever reason I had to marry Gail is irrelevant the reason I'm still married to her is that I love her and I want to spend the rest of my life looking after her and my family" he said

Ian smiled "I can see that and that's all I need to know" he said "You're right the reason you got married are irrelevant the reasons you're still married is what matters"


	16. Chapter 16

Two months later Paul sat in his office, looking up from his work, he smiled as he watched Robert playing on the floor beside him, looking at his watch he saw that if was 4.00pm...almost time to call it a day, the remainder of the office staff were at various conferences that were taking part around the hotel and Gail was due back from taking Mr Udigawa to the airport. Placing the file he was working on back in his drawer, he stood up and walked to where Robert was. Kneeling down he got on the floor, Robert looked up when Paul stroked his head, with a serious look on his face, he pushed the toy car that he had in his hand into his father's face.

"Hey you, that hurts!" Paul laughed, taking the car from him and running it along the floor. "Robert, where's the fire engine" he said looking at his son, laughing when Robert proudly picked up the toy ambulance.

"No matey...that's an ambulance" he said, as he reached out to lift the child up, with Robert in his arms he reached for the fire engine "See this is the fire engine...do you know what sort of noise it makes?"

Robert looked at Paul "Dadda" he said

"No...Not dada." He laughed running the fire engine along the carpet in front of them "It goes ne-nor-ne-nor"

Behind him, Gail laughed when she heard her husband imitating fire engine noises "So this is what you get up to when I'm not around!" she said entering the office.

Paul turned on hearing her voice "How long have you been there?" he asked

"Long enough...but you two look so cute together that I didn't want to interrupt" Gail replied "However why isn't he in the crèche?"

"Oh I went and checked on them shortly after you left, all three came over to me but then Cameron and Elle went back to playing" he said hugging Robert close to him "But this one decided he wanted to come with me...so I didn't see any harm in bringing him back, he's quite happy to play on his own whilst I finish what I'm doing"

Gail laughed "Hmm it didn't look like he was playing on his own when I walked in" she said going to sit on the chair in front of the desk "This one is turning into your shadow"

"He's just shy and loves being with us or the family more than being in the crèche" Paul said, placing Robert back on the rug and standing up "I'm not playing favourites...he was just happier to come back with me than stay in the crèche"

"Darling I didn't say anything...besides I love watching you with him..with the other two you tend to be more rough and tumble but this one you have a gentleness with him" she said

"He's more attentive than the others...you can explain things to him" Paul said

Gail laughed "Definitely and I see he already knows what a fire engine looks like" she said

"Haha" Paul said "But he is different from the other two and that worries me slightly"

"It shouldn't do...he's fine...just a little quieter" Gail said "He'll probably be better behaved at school than the other two"

"Good grief let's not make them grow up too quick!" Paul said "Anyway did Mr Udigawa get to the airport on time"

"Sure" Gail said "And his plane left on time for once...he said that he'll have the papers signed in and sent back to us within a week...after that it will be all systems go"

"Hmm...just hope it doesn't increase my workload too much" Paul said, placing Robert back on the floor and walking over to Gail, pulling her out of the chair, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

"Hey...I'm sure we'll both cope with the workload" Gail said "Besides we have the extra staff, and Rosemary said at Christmas that if we need her at any time she's only a phone call away"

Paul smiled "Yeah...I know...it's just I don't want to get to the point that I'm overworked and the family suffers, especially with the new baby on the way" he said, hearing the gurgling sounds behind him he turned slightly and laughed as Robert pushed the fire engine across the floor trying to imitate the fire engine noises that Paul made earlier, suddenly remembering when Gail was pregnant with the triplets he turned back to her "I want to share every step of this pregnancy with you; I don't want what happened last time...me working all the hours in the day and you being left alone coping with the triplets"

"I can't imagine you doing that" Gail said "We're a team we'll cope with the business, the triplets and the new baby together the way we have been for the last year"

Paul kissed her "Okay...just as long as you don't forget that there is nothing more important in the world to me than you" he said. Looking towards Robert he added "And of course our children...how about we get the other two and go home"

"That sounds like a good idea...feeling a little tired and I picked up the photos we took at Christmas, thought I might go and show Helen" Gail said

"Well how about you do that after we've bathed the triplets and while I make dinner...in fact I know dad and Beverley are out and the kids are probably doing other stuff why don't you invite her to dinner" Paul said

"You're cooking?" Gail smirked "Don't tell me spaghetti"

Paul laughed "Nothing wrong with that...I just thought I'd give my wife the night off" he said

"Okay...well why don't I go and pick up the other two and you pack up here and take Robert to the car?" Gail said

"Sure...I'll drop the keys off with Chris; he's in the Conference Suite." Paul said "He said he can deal with things tomorrow...if I'm needed he knows where I am"

He's a great asset to this place" Gail remarked

"Yep he's come up with some good ideas for this place and unlike Kevin Harvey I know I can trust him" Paul said "Come on let's get home"

A few hours later, after feeding and putting the triplets to bed, Paul was busy making dinner when Gail came downstairs, walking up to him she placed her arms around his waist.

"Hey everything is quiet upstairs; I'm going over to number 26 to see if Helen wants to come for dinner...please don't burn the house down while I'm gone" she whispered in his ear.

Paul laughed and turned in her arms "Cheeky..." he said kissing her "Dinner will be another half hour"

Gail smiled "Good" she said "I'm starving!"

Helen was sat alone in the living room of number 26 when Gail walked in.

"Hi" Gail said "I brought some photos of the triplets for you to see...are you all alone?"

Helen stopped the needlework she was doing and looked at her and smiled "Yes, Jim and Beverley have gone out with some friends and the kids have deserted me" she replied as Gail sat next to her.

"Do you want to join Paul and me for dinner" Gail said "There's only one small problem"

"What's that?" Helen asked

"Your grandson is cooking" she said

Helen laughed "You mean to tell me you let him loose in your kitchen" she said

"Yeah well he offered...it's only spaghetti so he can't do much damage" Gail laughed, as she handed Helen the envelope with the photos in.

Helen picked the photos out of the envelope and flicked through them "These three are growing up, they're constantly changing" she said

"They certainly are when you consider what they were like this time last year" Gail said

"How are you feeling?" Helen asked

Gail smiled "I'm fine..." she said

"That's good...Paul isn't overdoing things at work is he?" Helen said

Gail shook her head "No...he's fine...somehow Lassiters doesn't have the appeal it used to for him I don't think...he has more important things to think about, this afternoon I took Mr Udigawa back to the airport and when I got back he was playing on the floor of the office with Robert" she said

Helen laughed "Robert" she said "I've got something to show you" standing up she reached behind the back of the sofa and pulled out a small canvass.

Gail laughed when she saw it "When did you do this?" she said "And why am I not surprised that it's only Robert"

"I didn't do it...Nick did it one day just before Christmas when we had the triplets whilst you went shopping...Robert was sat on the sofa playing with a book when Nick picked up his sketch pad and started making a rough sketch...afterwards he decided to put it on canvass" Helen replied "He wanted to capture the three of them together but I told him the best way to do that at the moment would be using a photograph"

Gail laughed "That's true the other two won't sit still for too long" she said "But he's good"

"I've been trying to get him to go to Art college but the problem is he'll have to leave Ramsay Street and he doesn't want to" Helen said

"Why because of Sharon?" Gail asked

"Not sure that's the real reason, I think he feels if he leaves here he loses this family and at the end of the day we're the only family he has" Helen replied

"But going to college doesn't mean he has to cut ties with us" Gail said "He's definitely got a talent so it would be a shame to waste it"

"That's what I told him...but he feels that unlike Todd who has a connection to this family he has none" Helen said

"Hopefully he'll change his mind" Gail said "We've always treated him as part of the family; the children love him"

"Whenever we're babysitting and Jim takes them to the park he's always the first one to offer to help" Helen said

Gail smiled "hmm maybe I can think of a way to make him feel more part of this family but I need to speak to Paul first" she said

"What are you thinking?" Helen asked

"Well maybe we could ask Nick to be godparent to the new baby...well like you said he's good with the triplets" Gail replied "But I'll have to see what Paul says"

"I can't believe how far you two have come in the last couple of years" Helen said

Gail laughed "Another pregnancy so soon after the triplets wasn't what we planned; but we're both looking forward to this baby and this time Paul's been with me every step of the way, including taking time off work to go to the hospital with me" she said "We never had that last time...he was always too busy" she added sadly

"Do you ever wonder what life would have been like had you left?" Helen said

Gail rolled her eyes "I don't know what I was thinking that day; I mean a single mother to triplets, that's not the best life for them...guess I was feeling angry and hurt and couldn't see a way forward...I dread to think what life would have been like...difficult I should imagine" Gail said "If I had left would you really not have told Paul that you had seen me"

Helen sighed "Yes...but I was hoping that you turning back was a good sign..I'm not sure what your leaving would have done to Paul" she said

Gail closed her eyes for a moment "I don't know if I could ever truly leave him" she said "We've been through so much together...he's the best friend I ever had." She said "Speaking of Paul we better back to my place...and see if dinner is ready"

"Okay" Helen said, "I'll leave a note for Jim and Beverley and let them know where I am"

Walking into Number 22, Gail and Helen found Paul in the kitchen, turning around he smiled.

"I was just about to phone you and find out where you were...dinner is ready" Paul said "Hi Gran"

Helen laughed at the state of the kitchen "Hi Paul...did you really have to use every dish in the kitchen" she said

"Oh he's clearing up his mess" Gail remarked "Believe me"

"Don't I always...well do you want to eat or not!" Paul said

Gail and Helen sat down whilst Paul dished out the spaghetti, Helen commented on how good Paul's cooking was. Paul laughed remarking that he was capable of cooking.

"So how are things going with Mr Udigawa, Rosemary mentioned that it was a really good deal" Helen said.

"It is, it promises to provide some new jobs and raise the profile of the Robinson Corporation, which is good. Thinking maybe we should try and arrange a dinner here for him next time he's over, like we did a couple of years ago but without the drama" Paul replied

"Yeah and you could do the cooking" Gail remarked

Helen laughed "I thought you wanted him as an Investor" she said

"What is this 'pick on Paul' day, I'm quite capable of cooking" Paul remarked

Gail smiled "Only teasing" she said "But that idea might have to wait awhile"

"You two have enough to cope with" Helen said "Just make sure the business doesn't take control"

Paul rolled his eyes "Of course not...besides I think we all know who is really in control and they're fast asleep upstairs" he said

"And you wouldn't have it any other way" Gail laughed "Mind you, I think you need to practice your imitation of a fire engine...not sure Robert was that impressed"

"Ha ha...very funny" Paul replied

Helen smiled at the banter between the couple, relieved that things were fine between them; the children had brought them closer together. A relaxed atmosphere surrounded the room, as they talked about things the triplets had done, how much they were growing and changing. Later that evening, Paul was washing up when Gail closed the front door after saying goodbye to Helen, turning she smiled when she heard Paul whistling to himself, walking up behind him she wrapped her arms around his waist kissing his neck, Paul laughed

"What do you want?" he said

"Just you!" she replied quietly

"Hey what's up" Paul said

Gail stayed silent, her thoughts turning to her earlier conversation with Helen about the day she thought she was leaving Paul forever. Sensing her silence he turned in her arms. Stroking her cheek he smiled

"Are you okay?" he frowned

"Sure she said "Just a little tired"

"Hey I'm going to make a coffee, go and sit down" Paul said kissing her. Ten minutes later Paul joined Gail on the sofa, placing the mugs on the coffee table he pulled her closer to him.

"So Mrs Robinson, what's on your mind?" he said

Gail smiled "Just you" she said

Paul looked at her, smiling he waited for her to continue.

Gail sighed "I was talking to Helen earlier, she was saying how far we've come in the last few years, and whether I ever thought about what life would have been like if I hadn't come back or what my leaving would have done to you" she said quietly.

Paul was quiet for a moment, Gail wrapped her arms around him holding him tightly, "You came back though" Paul said "To be honest I can't imagine how things would have turned out if you hadn't... I would have looked for you...but the fear of not knowing whether you or the triplets were okay or not...that would have been unbearable" stroking her back, gently

Gail looked at him, "Looking back I wasn't thinking that day, I was so angry and hurt that all I cared about was getting away, but I remember sitting in a coffee shop and I don't know I suddenly realised that leaving was the wrong thing to do... but I was just so confused because I knew how important the business was to you" she said

Paul shook his head "Not as important as you are" he said "Life would be empty without you and the children"

"And I would have deprived the triplets of knowing what an amazing father they have" Gail said, looking into Paul's eyes

Paul laughed "hmm but they also have an amazing mum too" he said kissing her "Gail I love you more than anything in this world and that's what I need you to remember, that's why it's so important that I find a way to make sure that you don't feel the way you did when you were pregnant with the triplets"

"I love you too...so much...and there's no one in this world that I'd rather share my life with, there no one else I want as father to my children" Gail said

Paul smiled "I came so close to losing everything that matter to me and I'm not talking about the Robinson Corporation." He said

Gail sighed "It was a bad time" she said "But hey we came through it and now look at us"

"Yeah things keep getting better" Paul replied "I was thinking whilst I was making the dinner maybe I should move Chris up to Office Manager as oppose to just Assistant Manager, it might just help cut my workload even more"

"Ahem who exactly are you and what have you done with my workaholic husband?" Gail laughed

Paul rolled his eyes "That is well and truly in the past, thanks to my growing family" he said "But seriously he's almost doing that job now so why not give him the title"

"If you're sure that's what you want" Gail said "By the way you haven't forgotten that I've got a scan next week"

"Of course not...it's written in my diary" Paul said

"That's good" Gail said

Paul sighed, pulling Gail closer to him "This is nice...you and me here with the children fast asleep upstairs" he said

"Those three are really good now; once asleep they hardly wake up" Gail said "I wonder what the next one will be like"

"Perfect" Paul said "How could it be anything else"

"Hmm...we shall see...by the way if we have a girl I already know what we're calling her" Gail said

Paul frowned "Oh and who says" he laughed

"I do...you can choose the name if it's the boy but the girl's name is already decided upon" Gail replied "You're not going to argue with a pregnant woman are you?"

Paul laughed, putting his hands up in surrender "Wouldn't dare" he said "So what are we calling our daughter?"

"Helen" Gail said "Haven't got a middle name yet but we could use 'Ann' like we did with Elle"

"Gran will like that" Paul said "But why don't we give her the middle name of 'Louise' after your mum"

Gail turned to look at him "I don't think so"

Paul looked at her, wondering what she was thinking but said nothing, Gail sensed his question.

"Paul...she wasn't my mum, she's the woman who gave birth to me but she gave me up, my mum died a long time ago" she said

"Darling we've been through this...you know she didn't have much of a choice" Paul said

"I know...but I also know that I would fight anyone who ever tried to take Elle or the boys away from me" Gail said

"So would I" Paul said "But think about being 16 or 17 and having to make that decision; there's wasn't much she could do"

"hmmm"

Paul sighed "Okay...did you know that Ian is trying to see if he can find her, he knows that the family moved to England shortly after you were born and he's considering going over there and seeing if he can track her down and find out what happened to her" he said

"He didn't tell me that!" Gail said

"I think he feels that you tend to not want to talk about her...so he keeps quiet on the subject" Paul replied

"And what else did you two talk about?" Gail said

Paul laughed "Nothing much, however I think we shocked him by saying our marriage started out as a business deal" he said laughing, placing his hand on Gail's stomach.

"Possibly" Gail said "But let's face it...ours was not the first marriage of convenience in history and I'm sure it won't be the last."

"Hmm but not every marriage of convenience ends the way ours did...one of the best things I ever did I think" Paul replied, looking at Gail he grinned "Well the way it turned out in the end"

Gail laughed "I agree...I've had another thought about the new baby" she said

"Oh and what's that?" he said

"I think we should have Nick as godparent" she replied looking at him to see his reaction.

"Where did that come from" Paul said

"He's good with the triplets...and I think it will make him feel more like part of the family" Gail said

"But he's always been made to feel part of the family." Paul said

"I know but he has a chance of going to Art college but he's thinking of turning it down because he feels once he leaves Ramsay street, he loses this family" Gail said "Helen can't seem to make him change his mind"

"And you think that making him godparent would help" Paul asked "Do you really think he's mature enough for the responsibility or even want it?"

Gail looked at him, frowning slightly "To be honest I do...he's changed a lot in the past few years" she said laughing she continued "Plus he enjoys being around the triplets...even says he'll teach them to paint when they're older"

"On paper I hope...don't want to come home one day to find the house covered in graffiti" Paul laughed

Gail rolled her eyes and gently smacked him "Of course on paper...he's done a really good painting of Robert" she said

"Really" Paul said "Surprised he kept still long enough"

"Yeah well that's why it's only Robert, you know what the other two are like" Gail laughed

Paul was quiet for a moment, "Okay" he said "If it's what you want then let's see what he says"

Gail kissed him "Knew you would see it my way" she laughed

"Hmm I know who my daughter takes after" Paul said, Gail sighed contently as he pulled her closer to him, kissing her tenderly "You're amazing you know that"

The following day, Paul was busy outside washing the car when Jim and Nick walked up the drive.

"Hey cleaning the car on your day off" Jim said "I'd thought you'd have better things to do"

Paul laughed "Yeah well I would have but unfortunately Cameron was sick in the car last night so it needs a clean" he replied "Nick do you fancy taking over?"

Nick laughed "How much?" he said

"Ah a boy after my own heart...nothing for free in this world" Paul laughed "Anyway what can I do for you two"

"We just wondered if you wanted the triplets taken off your hands for an hour...is Cameron okay?" Jim asked

"Yeah he's fine today...I think it was just car sickness...sometimes that happens with him, he doesn't seem to like travelling much" Paul said "You sure you want to take them out...mind you I think it will probably be just the boys...Elle's being a little clingy today"

Paul put the sponge he was using in the bucket of water "Come on let's go inside" Together they walked inside, Gail was working in the kitchen while the boys were playing on the floor, Nick looked around for Elle and saw her sitting on the sofa playing quietly with her koala bear. Walking over to her he sat down beside her.

"Hey Loopy Loo...what's wrong with you?" he said quietly

Elle looked at him, with a serious look on her face, Gail watched them.

"Hey you two do you want a coffee I was just about to make one for Paul and I" she said

"That would be great" Jim said "In fact we just came over to offer to take the triplets out, but Paul says Elle's not feeling too good"

"Just her teeth troubling her" Gail said "But I'm sure the boys would love to take a trip to the park"

Elle watched Nick curiously with one thumb in her mouth and the other hand wrapped around the koala bear, suddenly she gave a cheeky grin and pushed the bear into Nick's face.

"Hey you...that hurts" he said gently tickling her and lifting her into his lap.

Gail laughed and shook her head "Once again my darling daughter has managed to wrap another male member of this family around her little finger" she said

Paul walked up to her, putting his arms around her waist he whispered in her ear "Yep she takes after you" he said "Come on I'll give you a hand taking the coffees over"

Paul took the tray of coffee and placed it on the coffee table, Jim sat next to Nick while Paul and Gail sat on the sofa opposite.

"So Nick, are you up to doing some more tee shirts for us?" Gail asked

"How many do you want?" Nick asked

"200 should do at the moment, I'll supply you with the tee shirts next week" Gail replied

"I can't believe you've already sold the last lot" Nick said "Maybe I should change the design"

"Hmm there's nothing wrong with the design but if you want to try a different idea than go for it" Gail said "They're good quality souvenirs why wouldn't people buy them"

Paul watched the interaction between Nick and Elle, smiling as Nick tried tickling her to make her laugh whilst Elle kept smacking him with the koala bear, looking at the pair he saw how gentle Nick was with the little girl and knew that Gail was right, he would make a good godfather to the new baby. Smiling he lifted his mug of coffee.

"Nick...Gail and I have been thinking," Paul started looking at Gail winking, Gail smiled "How would you like to be godfather to the new baby"

Nick looked at both Paul and Gail slightly shocked "What" he said "You want me to be godfather...but I don't know what to do"

Paul laughed "You don't have to do anything except what you're doing now, it's just a tradition" he said

Nick smiled "That would be nice" he said "If I decide to go to Art college I can still come back and see the baby"

"But there's always place for you here Nick, whatever you do, you're part of this family besides the children love you" Paul said "I hope you are going to take the college course if it's offered to you"

"I don't know...maybe I could stay here and make a living out of designing teeshirts" Nick said,

"Don't let your talent go to waste" Gail said "Who knows one day you could always come back to Erinsborough High and teach Art"

Nick laughed "Yeah right...can just see that happening" he said, placing Elle back on the sofa beside him as he picked up his mug. Paul laughed as Elle grumbled about the loss of attention. Nick turned to her and tickled her.

"So Loopy Lou are you coming to the park or staying with mummy and daddy?" Nick asked

Elle frowned, her thumb going back in her mouth "Mama" she said

Paul laughed and shook his head "Sorry mate...stood up by 15 month old...not a good sign" he said, walking over to the sofa and picking Elle up, throwing her up in the air, she giggled slightly. "So why don't you want to go to the park?"

"Mama" Elle repeated

Paul looked at Gail and smiled, throwing Elle up in the air again he then gently handed her to Gail.

Nick laughed, placing his mug back on the table he walked over to where the boys were playing "So..We'll take these two out instead" he said

Half an hour later, Gail was finishing cleaning the kitchen, every so often glancing towards the living room where Elle played on the floor; Paul was finishing washing the car. Elle stood up, picking up her koala bear she walked over to the kitchen. Gail looked at her and smiled.

"Hey..what do you want?" she cooed

Elle dropped the koala on the floor and stretched out her arms "Mama" she said

Gail picked her up, cuddling her close she kissed her, placing her hand on Elle's forehead she saw that the child wasn't hot, and took that as a good sign.

"Hey what say we go outside and find your daddy?" she said, gently rubbing Elle's back

"Daddy!" Elle said

Gail walked out the back and walked around the side of the house to the front, Paul saw the two of them walking towards him, picking up his bucket he threw the water onto the grass before walking over to them.

"Have you finished?" Gail asked

"Just about" he said "How's this little one?" Elle stretched out her arms for Paul and Gail let her go.

"She's fine...just think she wanted some time away from the boys" Gail said "And us all to herself"

Paul laughed "Hey how are you feeling?" he asked "You look tired"

Gail laughed, gently kissing him on the cheek "I'm fine" she said

"Guess I'm fussing too much" Paul said

Gail shook her head "No...of course not" she said "I love this side of you..it reminds me of how things were when we came back from New Zealand...you made me feel like I was the most important person in your life"

Paul looked at her and frowned, gently he stroked her face "Nothing has changed Mrs Robinson...you know how I feel about you" he said.

"Yes" Gail said "It's just nice to get a reminder every now and again" she laughed. Paul went and placed the bucket in the garage then the couple walked back inside the house.

"So what shall we do now?" he said, as he placed Elle on the floor, laughing as she crawled over to where she had dumped the koala bear, picking it up she hugged it close to her.

"Well I could start lunch...but Elle hasn't been out all day so maybe we should go to the park and meet Jim and Nick" Gail said, looking at her watch and seeing it was still only 11 am.

"She seems happy enough now...she's so funny at times" Paul remarked, watching his daughter.

"She just likes having time away from her brothers" Gail said, walking into the kitchen, Paul went and sat down by his daughter, looking at him Elle passed him the Koala bear, Paul took it from her and pretended to hug it close to him and kissing it, Elle crawled into his lap, taking the koala bear from him she threw it across the room.

Paul laughed and cuddled her close to him "Lucinda Ann that is not nice" he said kissing her head. Elle giggled, Paul shook his head "Well there's not that much wrong with this one" He said, standing up and lifting Elle up with him.

Gail smiled, she loved watching Paul interact with the triplets and knew they couldn't have a better father. "Hey why don't you get changed and we can go to the park" she said.

Paul kissed her and handed Elle to her "Okay" he said "Won't be long"

Gail looked at her daughter and shook her head "Right you, think I'll put you in the playpen and get changed myself" she said smiling as she saw her daughter shake her head.

"Mama!" Elle protested as Gail placed her in the playpen.

Handing her back the Koala bear, Gail soothed her protest "Ok...don't be impatient"

An hour later Paul parked the car at the park. Elle protested loudly to get out of her car seat when she realised where she was, Gail looked at Paul and rolled her eyes , laughing Paul turned off the engine, taking the keys he got out the car and walked over to open Elle's door. Gail followed him, laughing as Paul tried to get a wriggling Elle out of the car. Finally he set her down on the ground, taking hold of her hand so that she couldn't try to run off, turning to Gail he smiled.

"When will she ever learn that if she stops wriggling around, we'll get her out of the car seat quicker" he said

Gail laughed "She's impatient...just like you!" she said "Come on let's go and find the others."

Paul reached down and picked Elle up, placing his other arm around Gail they walked towards the play area. Elle squealed when she saw her brothers playing on the swings so Paul placed her on the ground, Elle moved towards the swings, Paul following close behind her, Nick looked up as he heard Elle's squeals of delight, laughing he walked towards her.

"So loopy Lou's decided she's wants to play" Nick said as he picked her up and twirled her around, he took her towards the slide, with her securely in his arms, he climbed the steps, Paul smiled and walked towards the bottom, sitting down so he could catch Elle as she came down. Having climbed the steps, Nick placed Elle on the slide, gently pushing her to go down, seeing Paul at the bottom he stayed on the steps. Elle squealed as she went down the slide straight into Paul's arms.

"More" she said as Paul placed her back onto the ground, Nick came down the steps and met her at the bottom of the slide; lifting her in his arms he carried her up the slide. Gail watched and laughed as she saw the boys heading towards the slides, afraid they were missing out on the fun, Paul stepped off the slide and let Jim take his place whilst he walked over to Gail. Placing his arm around her they went and sat on the nearby bench, content to watch the children playing happily.

"I think we need to expand this area" Paul said after a while.

"Maybe" Gail said "A few more swings, a roundabout and another see saw would be nice"

"We also need to make sure that it fits health and safety standards" Paul said

Gail laughed "You really are going soft in your old age" she said resting her head on his shoulder

Paul laughed and kissed her head "No...but those three are growing up so quickly and now that they're moving I just want to make sure they're safe, especially when playing here" he said

Gail smiled, glancing at her children playing happily she laughed turning back to Paul she said "They're fine, they're happy...what more could we want"

Two weeks later, Paul sat playing with toy cars with the boys on the floor, Gail came down the stairs with Elle in her arms.

"Well that's the beds made" Gail said as she reached the bottom of the stairs and placed Elle down, making sure that the stairgate was secured. Elle toddled over to the boys and Paul, deciding to sit in the middle of the game; she squealed when Cameron decided to drive a car over her and tried to snatch it from him.

"Hey you" Paul laughed, picking up his daughter "we were in the middle of a very important car race" he said, tickling her gently, turning to Cameron he stroked his head "And you shouldn't drive cars over your sister...it's not nice" he laughed

Gail walked over to them "Here give her to me, I'll take her over to see Helen for a while" she said

Paul frowned "You shouldn't really be carrying her" He said "She's getting really heavy"

Gail bent over and kissed him "Worryguts" she laughed "We won't be long"

"I'll cook dinner tonight and this time I promise it won't be spaghetti" Paul said

"Yeah I'll believe that when I see it" she laughed, bending down and kissing him "Don't get in any trouble while we're away". Picking up Elle, she walked towards the door; turning back she smiled as she watched Paul and the boys playing on the floor.

Nick was finishing up painting in the garage when he saw Gail and Elle walking towards him, putting a cover over the canvas he was working on he walked over to them.

"Hi" he said, Elle stretched out her arms for Nick, laughing Gail let her go.

"Hey yourself" she said "How are things going?"

"Not bad...just trying to finish a painting I did a while back...but not feeling inspired to finish it" he said "Think I've got a creative block"

Gail laughed "You...never...by the way, we've nearly sold all the teeshirts you did last month, do you want to do some more?"

Nick laughed "What do you do? Give them away?" he said "Sure I can do some more for you"

"They sell really well...I guess they're good souvenirs without being tacky so the tourists love them" Gail said "Is Helen inside?"

"Sure" Nick said, handing Elle back to Gail "I'll just finish tidying up in here and I'll come and join you...do you want to do some painting Loopy Lou"

"Nick I think we're stick to colouring" Gail laughed

"Sure...see you in a bit" Nick said

Gail took Elle around the back of the house and went in through the kitchen, Helen was busy finishing tidying up

"Hello...you two" she said "What brings you here"

"Well Paul's having some father/son time with the two boys so I thought I'd bring madam over here for a little while" Gail replied

"You got time for a coffee?" Helen asked

Gail set Elle down and watch her toddle off towards the living room "Sure" she replied, following Elle to make sure she didn't get up to any mischief, seeing her pick up one of the toys from behind the sofa she smiled and walked back to Helen.

"Where is everyone?" she asked

Helen frowned "Jim and Beverley have gone for a game of golf...things were a bit tense around here" she replied

"Why?" Gail asked "I saw Nick in the garage he didn't say anything"

Helen poured hot water into the coffee mugs "Oh Julie phoned" she replied

Gail rolled her eyes knowing that a phone call from Julie usually brought trouble. Helen smiled at her.

"Oh as we didn't go down there for Christmas, she's planning on bringing her family up here for Easter, apparently Hilary has offered to put her up...Matt and Sharon are both going home for Easter." Helen said, handing Gail a coffee.

Gail looked slightly confused "So what's the problem?" she asked, as they walked into the living room.

Helen sighed "I'm not sure but it seems that everytime Jim and Julie talk on the phone these days it ends in argument, apparently she's not happy that we put Nick and Todd before her and her family. She thinks that we should make them go somewhere for Easter while her family stays with us, she keeps reminding Jim that they're not really part of the family and that just annoys him" she said

"Not sure Paul will be too delighted to see her either to be honest" Gail said

"Told you he holds grudges" Helen laughed

Elle toddled over to where Gail was sitting carrying a teddy bear; Gail helped her up onto the sofa. "Yeah well I think he's just fed up with her attitude and the fact that she thinks we're going to split up...I mean at Christmas she sent a Christmas card to him alone, no mention of me or the children"

"She didn't" Helen exclaimed "I must admit I did overhear something of the conversation earlier and Jim getting annoyed about something...think she was asking whether you were still here"

"She's going to have to get used to me being here because I'm not going anywhere!" Gail said "I just can't understand why she wants to see Paul alone"

Helen sighed "I honestly don't know...she's changed so much over the past few years that I hardly know her anymore" she said

Their conversation was interrupted by Elle squealing when she saw Nick walk into the living room,

"So, are you ready to do some colouring Loopy Lou?" Nick asked walking over to her and lifting her of the sofa.

Elle gave a toothless grin, making Nick laughed "Okay let's go and find some crayons and paper" he said

Gail laughed and shook her head as she watched them go into the kitchen "That child is impossible...she manages to wrap everyone around her little finger" she said

"Including you" Helen remarked "All three of them have such great little personalities...but Elle is a comic and she knows she can make people laugh"

Nick walked back into the living room; kneeling by the coffee table he placed some papers and crayons on the table.

"Doubt she's up to colouring in the lines yet...probably just be one massive scribble" Gail said

"Would love to try and draw my own portrait of her but doubt she's stay still long enough" Nick said

"She's too nosey she'd want to know what you're up to...maybe in a couple of years or even when she's asleep in her cot" Gail said

"Hey that might not be a bad idea...I could do a portrait of the three of them asleep in their cots" Nick said

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" Helen asked "I think Jim's planning a barbeque if the weather stays fine"

"Hmm let me phone Paul...he was planning on cooking but I'm sure he wouldn't mind coming over for dinner" Gail said

Later that evening, Paul and Gail were finishing putting the triplets to bed, having arrived home from the barbeque at No 26.

"These three are worn out" Paul said "Should be a quiet evening!"

"Yep thanks to Nick, Todd and Lucy" Gail replied

Paul laughed as he placed Robert into the cot "We should have them round here more often" he said

"You've should have seen Nick earlier trying to teach Elle to colour...he wanted to do some painting but she's not ready for that yet" Gail said

Paul laughed shaking his head "I think we'll give that one a miss for a while" he said "I'm sure madam would end up with paint all over herself and the furniture"

The couple took one last glance at their children before heading downstairs, Paul walked into the kitchen and put the kettle on whilst Gail sat on the sofa.

"You weren't too disappointed with not cooking dinner were you?" Gail asked smirking

Paul laughed "Of course not" he said, going to sit by her and pulling her close to him, Gail sighed in contentment.

Breaking the mood, Gail looked at Paul "So what do you think of Julie coming for Easter?" she asked

Paul grimaced "Darling you really do know how to spoil a mood" he said "Oh I don't know, if she stays out of my way I'll stay out of hers"

"But she is your sister" Gail said sadly

Paul laughed "No...the way I feel right now I don't care if I never see her again, I think that Christmas card she sent was the last straw...whether she likes it or not you and the children are part of this family" he said "I vote we stay away from her or see as little as possible of her"

Gail snuggled closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder "I love you so much...you've proved to me this last year how much this family means to you" she said

"How much you mean to me" Paul said "Without you I wouldn't have this family...I can't imagine life without you"

Are you going into work tomorrow?" Gail asked

Paul frowned "Only for a short time, might take Robert with me..." he said "The weekends go too quickly...funny isn't it two years ago I was obsessed with work now I've got more important things on my mind"

Gail laughed "So you should have" she said

"Are you going to be okay here" Paul asked "I promised I won't be too long and besides I have a meeting in the afternoon so won't be going in before 12pm"

Gail smiled "I'm fine...you don't have to take Robert in though...I can cope with the three of them" she said

"No...I quite like having one of them around, and with Robert he's quite happy playing on the floor of the office" Paul said "Elle and Cameron tend to demand more attention but Robert is content as long as he's knows someone's there"

Gail smiled "He's starting to settle in the crèche more...even playing with some of the other little ones which is really good to see...but I know he loves being around you" she said "Maybe he takes after me"

"I'm just so glad you've been able to carry on working during this pregnancy...at least you haven't been alone here too much" Paul said

"Darling I can't really be alone with the triplets can I" she said "Besides Helen's always around if I need a chat...you promised me a perfect pregnancy the next time and you've kept your word"

"It's what you deserve and it what should have happened last time; you went through so much to have the triplets and there were times that I treated you badly without thinking" Paul said feeling slightly guilty "You were right all along I shouldn't have brought the Daniels' Corporation...the price was too high"

"Darling that is in the past...look at us now...we came out stronger than ever; there's no point dwelling on the past...we have to look towards the future and as far as I can see it's perfect as long as we have each other and the children" Gail said

The following afternoon, Paul sat in his office having just finished a business meeting with a potential client, smiling he glanced at Robert playing happily on the floor beside him.

"Hey you" he said quietly, Robert looked up at him, gurgling happily. Standing up he walked over Paul's chair, Paul lifted him into his lap, kissing his head. Robert reached for the rubiks cube sitting on the desk.

"If you think you can solve that matey...you're smarter than I was at your age" he laughed

A knock on the door caused Paul to look up. "Come in" he said, a look of surprise on his face when he saw Glen Matheson walk in.

"Hi what are you doing here?" he asked

Glen laughed "Just in for a flying visit...thought I'd catch up with how things were in Erinsborough" he said looking at Robert "I see you've started your recruiting at a very early age"

Paul laughed "How long are you here for?" he asked

"Only until next Sunday" Glen said "Things have certainly changed around here...where's Gail?"

"She's at home with the other two" Paul said

"Last time I was here you two were in New York...Jane mentioned something about you splitting up" Glen said "Glad to see you sorted things out"

"Me too" Paul said "Things got a little crazy; have you got time for a coffee...I was just about to head home"

"Sure" Glen replied

"Well why don't I meet you in the coffee shop in ten minutes" Paul said "I'll just finish up here"

Fifteen minutes later Paul walked into the coffee shop, carrying Robert. Spotting Glen at one of the corner tables he walked over to him.

"Was longer than I expected, sorry about that" he said sitting down. "I phoned Gail and told her you were here...she said to invite you to dinner tonight"

Glen laughed "That would be nice" he said "I order some coffee but yours might be a little cold by now

"That's fine..so why don't you come round tonight around 7 – 7.30pm that will give us time to get the triplets settled" Paul said

"So how is Gail?" Glen asked

Paul laughed hugging Robert closely to him "She's amazing...the past few years have been full of ups and downs but we're still together and closer than we've ever been" he said

"You two were made for each other...I remember the evening Gail and I went to dinner she did nothing but talk about you and how successful you were" Glen said

Paul smiled remembering that time of his life "We were too busy trying to focus on a business marriage with no emotional involvement to see what was really happening...I was jealous of her going out with you...knowing that she preferred your company to mine" he said

"All I wanted was for her to be happy...you two getting a divorce was crazy..." Glen said

Paul looked at the child in his arms and sighed "Yes it was...I didn't want it but I guess I was too scared to say anything and when she got the executive position in New York I knew I had lost her, never in a million years did I dream that she'd give up a promotion for me" he said "In fact she chose me over New York twice"

"You're one lucky man" Glen said "I just remember how tense things were that year, neither one of you were happy and nothing anyone said made any difference"

Paul laughed "I evicted you from the office!" he said "I wasn't happy with the situation and everyone seemed to have an opinion but no one really knew the facts...as far as you were concerned I was just jealous especially after I arrived at the house to pick up some more of my stuff and saw you there"

Glen smiled "You know shortly after you left she asked me to leave too...she wasn't interested in anyone but you" he said

"Guess I was really horrible to you" Paul said

"We sorted it out" Glen laughed "Eventually"

That evening Paul, Gail and Glen sat in the living room, listening to Elle's constant chattering over the intercom.

"What is wrong with her..think I might go upstairs and try and settle her" Paul said

"Darling leave her...she'll soon decide that she's had enough and the boys aren't playing attention" Gail said, taking his hand.

"Nah I don't want her waking the boys" Paul said "Won't be long."

Paul walked up the stairs and into the nursery to find the Elle standing up in her cot.

"Daddy!" Elle squealed, jumping up and down when she saw him

Paul shook his head "No, it's bedtime" he said "You are supposed to be asleep"

Elle shook her head and giggled "No" she said, bending down to pick up her koala bear flinging it at Paul.

Paul laughed as he saw the koala bear flying across the room, catching it in his hand he walked over to Cameron's cot and checked on him, seeing that he was awake but settled he stroked his back, cooing gently to him, then he walked over to Robert, but had managed to kick his covers off him, Paul gently placed the cover back over him before returning to his daughter.

Glen and Gail listened to Paul trying to soothe Elle over the intercom. Gail shook her head knowing that within the next five minutes Paul would be back downstairs with Elle.

"You look happy" Glen commented

Gail looked at him "I am...I have more than I ever dreamed I would have" she said

"Paul looks happy too...he certainly seemed more relaxed than last time I was here" Glen said

"I can't fault him as a husband or a father, he's been amazing" Gail said "He was supportive through the IVF and even after the triplets were born when I found it difficult coping with them...I never thought I could love anyone as much as I love him"

"I'm glad it worked out for you." Glen said "Suppose horse riding is out of the question this week!"

Gail laughed "What in my condition...I don't think so" she said "Maybe next time you decide to visit" she said looking up she saw Paul walk down the stairs carrying Elle.

"Don't say a word" he said as he walked into the living room, handing Elle to Gail "Here you take her while I make some coffee"

Gail saw the look of triumph on her daughter's face and rolled her eyes "You are impossible" she said cuddling Elle closed to her.

Glen laughed "You've got your hands full with that one"

"Tell me about it" Paul said "From the moment she was born she's been trouble"

"That's no way to talk about your daughter" Gail said "This one just knows what she wants and how to get it whereas the boys are more easy going"

Paul walked back to the living room, and sat down waiting for the kettle to boil, gently he stroked Elle's back "This one was the smallest but always the more vocal of the three of them" he said "Robert was the biggest but definitely the calmest of the three, Cameron is in between both of them"

"Were the boys asleep?" Gail asked, stroking Elle's back trying to get her to settle.

"Robert was, Cameron was just lying in his cot but I think he'll go to sleep now" Paul said, standing up to make the coffee.

"How are you two going to manage with four children?" Glen asked "Not to mention Lassiters"

"The same way we coped with the triplets...as a team" Gail said "I doubt one more will make that much difference"

Paul went back into the kitchen to make the coffee; he then carried the tray of drinks into the living room, placing them on the coffee table. "We can share the responsibility of the children and the business...I've also started working from home every Friday which means I have a long weekend also if there's business meetings that Gail is more suited to handling than me then she'll go into the office whilst I look after the children...not to mention we have the crèche which the triplets don't mind spending an afternoon in" he said

"You've got it all sorted" Glen laughed

"Hopefully" Paul said, kissing Elle's fingers as she pushed her tiny hand into his face. "It's time you were asleep" he cooed softly.

Gail smiled "Too much happening down here...if she goes to sleep she might miss something" she laughed "However I think I might take her back upstairs and try and get her settled"

"Do you want me to do it?" Paul asked

Gail laughs "No I'll do it..." she said, letting Paul kiss his daughter goodnight.

"Daddy!" Elle squealed, stretching out her hand for him.

"No...It's bedtime" Gail cooed kissing Elle gently

Paul and Glen watched Gail carry out upstairs "She's so cute" Glen said

"Who Elle or Gail?" Paul replied smiling

"Ah...Elle of course" Glen said "She has such a cute smile"

Paul laughed "Gail thinks she knows how to wrap every male in the Robinson family around her finger...I think she has a point" he said "Elle was my wake up call I think"

Glen looked at him curiously,

"Well Gail had a difficult time giving birth to Elle...she lost consciousness and had to have a caesarean...for a moment I feared that what happened to my mum was going to happen to her..that scared me...I know I couldn't face losing her" he said

"I can't see that happening...she looks so happy" Glen said "I've never seen her look more radiant"

Paul smiled and shook his head as he heard the sound of Gail's voice trying to convince Elle to sleep. "We both are...all I want is for her and the children to be happy" he said "I know now that I would sell Lassiters if Gail wanted me to"

"I'm sure it wont come to that" Glen said "How about you two letting me take you both out to dinner before I leave?"

"Hmm we'll have to see if we can get a babysitter but that would be good" Paul said

"Well then I'll call you later in the week" Glen said "Thanks for tonight it's been good"

Later that evening Gail and Paul finished washing up after Glen had left, Gail noticed that Paul was quiet and wondered what was thinking. "Hey what's wrong" she asked

Paul looked at her and smiled, placing the tea towel on the sideboard he walked over to her and placed his arms around her waist "Nothing...just thinking about Glen" Paul said "You know I think he cares more about you than you think"

Gail turned in his arms, and looked into his eyes "Glen's a friend...that's all " she said "There's only room for one man in my life and that's you"

"But it doesn't stop him being in love with you does it" Paul said

Gail laughed "He knows how I feel about you...he's a good friend and that's all there is to it" she said kissing him "But tonight was nice...I like the fact that you two actually get on now!"

Paul smiled "You're right." He said "Nice of him to offer to take us out one day this week...providing we can get a babysitter"

Gail smiled "I'm sure that can be arranged" she said "Hey how about we call it a night"

"Okay" Paul said "We can leave the drying up until morning"

Gail smiled "I love you and there isn't anything or anyone in this world that could change that" she said

Paul sighed "I love you too...more than you will ever realise" he said "Come on let's get some sleep before the children wake us up again."


	17. Chapter 17

A month later Paul was idly looking out of the window of number 22, when Gail crept up behind him, wrapping her arms around him she kissed him.

"Hey what are you doing?" she said

Paul turned in her arms, smiling he sighed "Looks like trouble's in town" he said

Gail peered over his shoulder "Don't let her bother you, she'll only be here for a week" she said

"Yeah and think how much trouble she can cause in a week" Paul said "Mind you I wouldn't like to be Phil with both her and Hilary in the same house"

Your dad doesn't seem too happy to have her here either" Gail said "I think Lucy wants to spend easter with Emma"

"She's still not ready to forgive Julie for what she said" Paul said sadly, turning in her arms "And to be honest neither am I"

Gail turned and looked at the children playing contentedly on the floor, turning back to Paul she hugged him tighter "Whatever she thinks doesn't matter...the only thing that counts is us"

"I know but I just hate how nasty she is about this family, she doesn't see this relationship as long term and seems to want to see the day that you leave with the triplets" Paul said

Gail laughed "Not much chance of that happening" she said "Hey come on we're a team and if she starts on us we can easily put her back in her place"

"What would I do without you" Paul laughed

"Hmm not sure but it's not something you have to worry about" Gail replied

Jim rolled his eyes when he heard the knock on the door of Number 26, he had seen Julie and Phil's car drive up to Hilary's a while back and knew he was due for a visit from her.

"Julie" he said as he opened the door trying to sound enthusiastic "How are you"

"Fine...really long journey, terrible traffic...it would have been so much nicer to have been able to stay here instead of with Hilary" Julie replied, pushing Hannah through the door.

"We've been through this, there's not enough room" Jim said

"That would have been if you had got rid of your lodger for the week" Julie said

Jim sighed "Nick isn't just a lodger he's part of the family" he said

"And according to Hilary a troublemaker" Julie replied "Well just make sure he doesn't go anywhere near your granddaughter"

"So where is everyone?" Jim asked

"Phil's taken Michael and Debbie out, those two are just getting worse" Julie said annoyed "Sometimes I wish their mother was still alive and she could have them"

Jim remained silent

"Where's Gran?" Julie said "I thought she'd be here to see her great granddaughter"

"Think she may be at Paul and Gail's or maybe Madge's" Jim replied

"Don't tell me she's babysitting" Julie said "Didn't I tell you that you'd be stuck looking after those kids"

"No she's not and we have never been stuck with the triplets" Jim said "Don't start Julie!"

"I've been thinking, about mum's engagement ring" Julie said, looking at Hannah "It's just you gave it to Paul and he gave it to Gail but I think you should make a clause saying that when anything happens to them that the ring goes to Hannah"

Jim frowned; disbelieving that Julie had only been in the house five minutes and was already trying to cause trouble. "And why would I do that" he said

"Because Hannah is your granddaughter...and I've been reading up on the IVF programme, do you know that sometimes there are mix ups that occur...you don't know that those children are Paul's and I'd hate to see mum's engagement ring go out of the family" Julie said

Jim was speechless for a moment, he glanced at Hannah and then back at Julie "I know those children are Paul's, and that ring goes to Elle...the way that your mum would have wanted it" he said "And if you've only come here to cause trouble you can leave, in fact I think you better go back to Hilary's right now before I say something I might regret"

"Dad that's not fair, you haven't even said hello to your granddaughter" Julie complained "You think more of those triplets than you do of her"; taking Hannah's hand she walked out of the door.

Half an hour later, Jim knocked on the door of number 22, smiling when Gail opened the door with Cameron in her arms,

"Hi Jim" she said, letting Cameron go as he stretched out his arms for Jim.

"Ah there you are!" Jim said spotting Helen on the couch "Don't tell me you're hiding"

Helen laughed "No...I was coming back from Madge's and spotted Julie going into the house so came over here...thought I'd give you some father/daughter time" she said

Jim groaned "Wish you hadn't bothered, she's only been here five minutes and already she's trying to stir things up" he said, setting Cameron down on the floor.

"How?" Paul said

Jim looked at the triplets playing on the carpet, smiling he looked up at Paul "You know what your sister is like" he replied "Nothing for you to worry about"

"Hmm maybe we should stay here for Easter Sunday and let her have you all to herself" Paul said

"Don't you dare...besides the boys want to organise a easter egg hunt for the triplets" Jim said "I told them they were a bit small for that but they thought it would be fun"

"Dad if she causes any trouble, we'll leave" Paul said "I'm not prepared to put up with her snide remarks"

"I'm sure it will be fine" Jim sighed "Just have to put up with her for a week, that's all and this time next week she'll be going home"

"How's Lucy?" Gail asked

Jim sighed "She wants to spend Easter with Emma...which I told her she can't so she's not happy...think Todd and Nick are going to try to get her involved in helping with the Easter egg hunt" he said

"She can always stay here" Paul said

"Don't think that's far enough away to be honest" Jim said "Beside you've got enough with these three"

"Surely she's learned something after her last visit" Helen said "She can't treat people horribly and expect to get away with it"

"You know what she's becoming more and more like Hilary" Paul said "Maybe she's spent too much time with her...I seem to recall how Katie was when she came home after spending a few weeks in Hilary's company"

Gail smiled "I'm sure she'll be on her best behaviour this time" she said "Hopefully"

Later that evening Jim sat in the kitchen of number 26, unable to sleep he decided to make himself a mug of hot chocolate. His thoughts were interrupted by Beverley walking in.

"Hey" she said "Thought I heard you get up"

"Couldn't sleep" Jim said "There's some hot milk in the pan if you want a drink"

Beverley walked over to the cupboard, taking a mug out she went to the stove "So do you want to talk about it" she said, pouring the milk into the mug.

Jim motioned to the open door, Beverley sensing Jim's mood went and shut it before sitting down.

"I don't know , that woman...the minute she walks through the door she starts" Jim said "I didn't even have time to close the door"

Beverley stifled a laugh "What happened?" she said

"She complained about not being able to stay here, that we should have asked Nick to leave" Jim said "Then she had a go about the triplets"

Jim sighed "She started on about Ann's engagement ring and how I gave it to Paul, she thinks that I should make a clause saying that whenever anything happens to Paul that the ring goes back to Hannah" he said

Beverley frowned but let Jim continue

"Not content with that apparently she's been reading up on the IVF programme, and that sometimes mistakes happen" Jim said "She had the cheek to suggest that Paul might not be the triplet's father"

"That's ridiculous" Beverley replied "I'd stake my life on the fact that he's their father, you only have to look at the boys, and as for Elle..."

Jim smiled and turned the photo album he was looking at towards her "She has Lucy's smile" he said

Beverly smiled as she looked down at the photo of Lucy at the same age that Elle was now "Yes...but she has Gail's eyes" she said

"She's absolutely gorgeous" Jim said proudly

Beverley laughed "And already an expert at wrapping you around her little finger" she said "You know not to listen to Julie's ranting"

"I know but I already wish she hadn't come down" Jim said "It's also the older two kids that I feel sorry for, from what Julie said they've been playing up a little...she told me that she wished that their real mum was alive and she could look after them"

"Ouch" Beverley said

"I just remember how I looked after her when Ann died and didn't think twice about it" Jim said "But she can't do the same thing for those two children"

"Well there's nothing much we can do, except I guess give those two children some family time whilst they're here" Beverly said.

"You know...I'm tired of lying" Jim said sadly "I can't say I feel the same way about Hannah that I do about Elle..."

"Don't forget that you've seen Elle almost every day since she was born, they live next door" Beverley said "Whereas Hannah lives miles away"

"Oh I don't know" Jim said "Guess I'm just tired of her mother coming down here and thinking it's okay to order us around"

The following day Gail was working in the gift shop at Lassiters, when Paul crept up behind her putting his arms around her waist.

"Thought you were supposed to be working" Gail laughed

"Hmm not my fault I can't keep my hands of the female staff and my thoughts on my work" Paul remarked

Gail turned in his arms "And just what would your wife have to say about that, Mr Robinson" she said

Paul smirked "Well I won't tell if you wont" he laughed, planting a kiss on her lips

Gail laughed "So what brings you here" she said

"Just been to check on the triplets, they were fine so I thought I'd check on you" Paul replied "Are you okay?"

Gail smiled and kissed him "Yep why wouldn't I be?" she said

"Just making sure you are" Paul said, holding her tighter as he kissed her, they were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Come on you guys, cut it out it's not even 10 o clock yet"

Paul broke away from the kiss but kept his hold on Gail "Scott...what are you doing here, thought you were spending Easter in Brisbane" he said

"Nope Charlene and I thought we'd come and surprise you" Scott replied

"So where is she?" Paul said

"In the waterhole with Madge" Scott said "Oh Madge told us Julie's here"

Paul groaned "Don't remind us" he said "How long are you staying for?"

"Just until Tuesday" Scott said "Charlene couldn't get more time of work...we're staying with Madge and Harold...hey how about we take the triplets to the park for you"

Paul sighed "Ordinarily I'd agree but Jules' is here and if she catches you two looking after our three, she start accusing us of dumping the children again" he said

Scott frowned "What is her problem?" he said "You've never asked anyone to babysit; we've always had to offer"

"Don't ask me...she seems to think that Gail and my marriage won't last, that she'll leave me and take the triplets with her" Paul said "To be honest I'm fed up with it...do you know she sent me a Christmas card but left off Gail and the triplets"

"Hmm must admit she phoned me after we got home after Christmas and wanted to know how things were...I didn't tell her anything" Scott said "I'll put her straight on a few things if you want"

Gail smiled "No thanks Scott, this is one thing you can't help us with" she said

"The idea of you leaving Paul is ridiculous, I mean why would you...you've already gave up a high powered promotion for him" Scott said "You two belong together everyone can see that"

"Everyone that is except Julie" Gail said "To be honest Scott I don't care, she can think what she likes...the people who really matter know the truth"

"Well she better not say anything to me" Scott said "You sure we can't take the triplets to the park, it's better than them being stuck in the crèche"

Paul laughed "Sorry mate, but we're only working until 1pm so if you want to call around to the house after that we can all take them out somewhere after lunch" he said

"Okay, I better let you get back to what you were doing...or maybe not...wouldn't want to put the customers off" Scott laughed cheekily.

"Get out of here!" Paul laughed "See you at ours at around 2pm"

Scott waved goodbye leaving Paul and Gail alone again. "I guess I should get back to work" Paul said

Gail smiled "Well you're kind of distraction around here" she laughed

"Thanks" Paul laughed putting his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to him "Maybe we should put the 'close' sign up" he said

Gail gently slapped him "And where would the profit be in that!" she laughed

"I wasn't exactly thinking of profits" Paul said

"hmm aren't you supposed to be working" Gail said

Paul laughed "Yeah...but I missed you" he said "But I also came over here to tell you that I've found someone to take over from you at 11 am"

Gail looked curiously at him "Why...I don't mind working in here until you finish" she said

Paul shook his head "I don't want you overdoing things in your condition" he said

"But I'm fine" Gail protested

"I just want to make sure..besides Chris and I have a conference call with Mr Udigawa at 11.30am and I want you in on it" Paul said

Gail laughed "There had to be a ulterior motive...don't tell me you want to take me to take minutes" she said

"Of course not...but since you offered!" Paul said

"Hey I did not!" she laughed, gently slapping him.

Paul kissed her "See you in an hour" he said letting go of her "I love you"

Gail smiled "I love you too now get out of here and let me do some work" she laughed

Later that morning Scott spotted Julie coming out of Hilary's house as he was walking back towards Madge's, he frowned when he realised she had seen him and was walking towards him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked

Scott rolled his eyes "The same thing you're doing here...visiting!" he said rolling his eyes

"Dad didn't tell me you'd be here" Julie said

"That's because Charlene and I decided to come down and surprise everyone" Scott said

"Well if you're not doing anything this afternoon, could I ask you and Charlene to look after Hannah as I want to do some shopping and Phil's taking Michael on a fishing trip...she'll be really good...I just don't want to have to drag her around town" Julie said

Scott rolled his eyes "Okay so it's fine for us to babysit Hannah but not for us to look after the triplets" he said

"I'm only concerned that those two will dump those children on the family" Julie said "Come on Scott you don't really think that marriage is going to last, Paul isn't capable of long term relationships"

Scott frowned "Why are you so sure that their marriage will fail...you don't know anything about them" he said "If you did you would know that those children mean the world to them"

"Yeah right" Julie said "And the Easter bunny is real"

Scott rolled his eyes "Find someone else to look after Hannah...until you can find something pleasant to say about Paul and Gail, I don't want to know" he said, walking away from her.

"Fine" Julie said "But I'll be the one laughing when those two split up and he's left with nothing, at least I'll be able to say I told you so"

Scott looked at her, not believing what he had just heard, walking back towards her he said "Why are you being so spiteful...I don't believe you sometimes"

"Just speaking my mind" she said, turning her back on him and walking away. Scott watched her walk away before heading back to Madge's.

Later that afternoon, Gail sat on a park bench watching Paul, Scott and Charlene playing with the triplets, Lucy and Debbie had gone to get ice creams. She felt happy and relaxed, placing her hand on her stomach she felt the strong kick of life inside her, looking across at Paul she smiled, she had everything she wanted. Scott saw her watching them and walked towards her, Gail smiled as he sat down beside her.

"Those three wear you out!" he said

Gail laughed "You wanted to look after them...but at least they're healthy" she said "They're growing up too fast though"

"I bumped into Jules this morning" Scott said

"That was nice for you" Gail said sarcastically

Scott laughed "She wanted me to babysit for Hannah whilst she went shopping but I told her that I thought it was just a little hypocritical of her asking me to look after her daughter whilst she goes enjoying herself shopping when if you two asked us to babysit she's on the warpath, so I told her no "he said

"I take it she wasn't impressed" Gail said

Scott rolled his eyes, looking towards the play area, turning his attention back to Gail he continued "She keeps going on about yours and Paul's marriage not lasting, she says Paul's not capable of longterm relationships" he said "She's actually being really spiteful about it as though she wants your marriage to fail"

Gail laughed "To be honest I don't care what she thinks...I'm not going anywhere, actually our marriage is probably a lot more secure than hers" she said "Why would I give up on my best friend and the best father my children could have, he's amazing...this past year he's been with me every step with looking after the babies and with this pregnancy..I love him so much"

Scott laughed "Can't imagine why" he said "Hey have you two told Jules about the new baby?"

Gail looked at him and shook her head "No didn't think she'd be interested" she said

"She's going to get a surprise when she sees you on Sunday" Scott said "Paul told me that you don't want to know what it is"

Gail laughed "Has he told you he does?" she asked "I have my reasons for not wanting to know, although it sounds silly even to me"

Scott looked at her curiously.

Gail smiled "It's just...well last time when I was pregnant with the triplets, it brought back memories of your mum and when she was pregnant with Lucy... I don't want to stir up those memories again for him...and it occurred to me that if we are having a girl, I'm in the same position that your mum was...she already had two boys and a girl" she said, quietly "but never saw her second daughter...I just don't want Paul to make any connections or even think about that"

"Do you think he would?" Scott asked

"I'm hoping not...this time though I'm hoping he'd talk to me about any fears he had" Gail said "I think we've finally conquered the 'lack of communication' problem...but to be honest whatever we have will be a bonus...we already have three beautiful children"

Scott laughed "Who are just about to be covered in ice cream" he said watching Lucy and Debbie return to the playground with tubs of ice cream.

"Good job we brought a change of clothes for them, and I just hope your sister hasn't brought chocolate ice cream, its terrible trying to get chocolate stains out of clothing" Gail said "This is going to be fun"

Scott and Gail walked up towards the play area, laughing as the triplets squealed on seeing the ice creams.

"Okay let's go and sit on the grass over there" Paul said "Not sure if this was a good idea of not"

Settling the triplets on the grass , Paul handed the tubs of ice creams to Scott, Charlene and Lucy "Just try and get it in their mouths and not on their clothes" he said watching his children trying to grab for the tubs. Laughing he placed his arm around Gail.

"Hey you're not getting tired are you?" he asked

"No" Gail replied laughing as Elle tried to grab Robert's tub "Elle you have your own...leave Robert's ice cream alone"

Elle looked at her innocently

"See I told you...that's exactly what she did last time we took them out for ice cream but that time she did finish her own first" Charlene said

Gail laughed "Wonder who she takes after" she said, looking at Paul.

"Hey it's chocolate ice cream so it's definitely not me" Paul said "Lucy...I told you not to get chocolate ice cream, they make so much mess with it"

"Spoilsport" Lucy said, as Elle made a grab for the tub that Lucy was holding, laughing Lucy place some more ice cream in Elle's mouth before she protested "Hey did Nick tell you that he and Todd are planning an Easter egg hunt for these three on Sunday" Lucy said

"Hmm I think you'll have to include Hannah in that" Paul said

Lucy groaned "Wish they weren't coming" she said "They're just spoil the fun."

"She's still your sister Luce" Gail said

"At least you don't have to live with her" Debbie said

"Hey come on let's not spoil a nice afternoon talking about Julie" Paul said

Two days later, Paul sat playing with the boys on the floor, when Gail came in from the back garden. "Hey you need to get ready, we're supposed to be at Jim's in an hour" she said

"Do we have to" Paul groaned

"Yes we do, where's our daughter?" Gail asked.

"Behind the sofa, playing with koala bear and Paddington." Paul said

Gail smiled as she walked towards the back of the sofa "Hey you, What are you doing there?" she said

Elle looked at her and giggled

"Come here you" Gail said as the front doorbell rang, turning towards it she went to answer it as Elle got up and toddled towards her.

"Hi Nick" she said on opening the door

"Just wondered if you needed any help with the triplets" he said as Elle walked towards him, catching her before she tried to escape outside he lifted her into his arms, causing the little girl to giggle.

"Come in, we're nearly ready, that if my husband can tear himself away from playing with toys" Gail said

Paul looked at Nick and smiled "So I gather my sister is at home already" he said

"Afraid so" Nick groaned "Oh Jim said that he feels the Easter Egg hunt should be cancelled, Todd and I were going to buy some eggs yesterday but Jim told us not to bother...he doesn't think it's a good idea"

"Why?" Paul asked

"Well...Julie told him to keep me away from her daughter and unfortunately we would have had to include her in the game...Jim didn't think it was right for me to spend money on her when Julie had said what she had" Nick replied

"To be honest Nick, the triplets are bit small for Easter Eggs hunts, maybe in a year or two" Paul said "And as for Julie, just ignore her...I do"

"Well I did make them some tee shirts" Nick said handing a bag to Gail "I thought they had enough toys"

Gail took the bag as Elle made a grab for it "Hey Loopy Lou, stop being so impatient" Nick laughed tickling her.

Gail looked inside the bag and smiled "These are great" she said

"I designed them myself, and they've each got their names on them" Nick said

"Nick you shouldn't spend money on the children like that" Paul said

"I want to...beside you're the only family I really have" Nick replied

"Have you thought anymore about University?" Paul asked

"Yes... a little bit, I'm still undecided" Nick said "Not sure whether I'm ready to leave Ramsay Street just yet"

"You can always come back in the holidays" Paul replied

"True...guess I'll have to see how my exams go" Nick said

Gail looked at her watch "Hey you two...we need to get over the road" she said

Paul groaned "Sooner stay here to be honest" he said

Nick laughed "Yeah well your sister has already objected to me being there today" he said "Thinks this is time for family only"

Paul frowned "Well that's her opinion; to be honest it takes a lot more than blood to make a family." He said

Nick laughed "All the same I think I'll stay away from her today as much as possible...besides I've got some painting that I want to do in the garage!"

Paul laughed "On canvas I hope!" He said

Later that afternoon, Gail and Helen were in the kitchen washing up whilst the rest of the family were in the living room.

"She just doesn't give up with the snide remarks does she" Gail said

"Don't let her get to you!" Helen said "Just think in a couple of days they'll be gone"

Gail laughed "Seems as though you're not that pleased to see her either"

"I just find her draining" Helen said "Nick feels like he's an outsider, Lucy's only staying around because we promised her she could go and stay with Emma tonight if she stayed here this afternoon and goodness knows where Todd is...he left soon after dinner"

Their conversation was interrupted by Paul walking into the kitchen carrying Robert, Gail looked at him "What are you two up to?" she said

"Just had enough of Julie's ramblings, we thought we'd go and see what Nick is up to in the garage" he said

"Where's the other two?" Gail asked

Paul laughed "Playing with Lucy and Debbie..they seem happy enough" he replied

Gail looked at Robert, stroking his face she smiled "Just make sure you watch him in the garage, I don't want him slipping out" she said

Paul rolled his eyes, kissing her on the cheek "Don't worry I won't let go of him" he replied

Gail and Helen watched them go "You know Robert is becoming Paul's shadow" Helen said

"Hmm I know...he's turning into a daddy's boy...Paul tends to worry about him as he's not as confident as the other two; but he's fine" Gail replied "Just prefers to be with people he knows at the moment...might go and check on the other two"

Gail walked into the living room and saw Cameron and Elle sat at the coffee table with Lucy and Debbie, she walked over to them trying to ignore Julie on the sofa.

"Hey what are you two up to?" she cooed

Elle held up the piece of paper she was colouring on, handing it to Gail "Hmm very nice" she said stroking the little girl's head, looking at Debbie she smiled "Well at least it's colourful"

"Underneath all that colourful scribble is actually an Easter picture" Lucy laughed

"Yeah well you weren't any better" Julie said, looking up from the magazine she was reading, taking a quick glance at the picture "Hannah could do much better than that at that age"

Rolling her eyes, Gail looked at Lucy, "I bet she could" she said quietly, gently stroking Elle's head. "Hey at least she got the right idea though...I mean the top half of the picture is blue and bottom half is green with lots of other colours in between"

Lucy laughed "Hmm these three are brilliant" she said, giving Julie a slight sneer.

"Well I would say Hannah was more developed at the triplets' age than they are, I mean she was talking much better than these three, mind you I probably spent more time with her either of you two do with these three" Julie said looking at Gail

"Julie stop it" Helen said as she walked back into the living room, sitting next to Gail "You're not here..so you can't possibly know how much time the triplets spend with their parents, but I can tell you something these three aren't in the least bit spoilt, which I'm afraid to say your daughter is"

"Paul and I are quite capable of looking after the triplets, and according to the doctors they're progressing very well" Gail said, slightly annoyed that once again Julie was causing trouble.

"I'm surprised my useless brother can think of anything but work" Julie replied

Gail rolled her eyes "I can assure you...your brother is anything but useless...in fact he's an amazing husband and father and I wouldn't change him for anything" she said

Meanwhile in the garage, Paul was looking at Nick's latest piece of art.

"I must admit it's better than your last portrait" he said, placing Robert on the ground, but keeping hold of his hand.

Nick laughed "I still can't believe you actually thought that Helen painted it" he said "It was just a different aspect of you; by the way do you still have that one?"

Paul laughed "Yes, well and truly hidden in the garage, Gail wont let me get rid of it" he said "Just hope the children never find it"

Nick laughed "You could always give it me back...I might be able to reuse the canvas" he said

Paul shook his head "Yeah and the next time I look it could be hanging up in the coffee shop" he said

Ni ck laughed "I wouldn't do that to you!" he said "Besides you might sack me from producing tee shirts for the gift shop"

Paul laughed "Ah but that's Gail's territory...I wouldn't dare do anything with the gift shop without her consent" he said, "So what made you decide to paint this picture"

"Helen gave me the photo a few weeks ago...I wanted to paint a picture of the triplets for a while but they won't stay still and she suggested that I try doing it from a picture" Nick replied

"Gran showed me the one you did of Robert...it's really good" Paul said "You have a talent don't waste it"

Nick laughed and crouched down smiling at Robert who giggled when Nick tickled him "Yeah well this one is so good and quiet...he'll sit still if I give him a book or something to play with whereas the other two are too active...aren't they Robbie" he said

"Hmm he has his moments; believe me" Paul said "There are times when even he has to let off steam"

Nick looked at Paul "You're so lucky...having Gail and the triplets" he said "Hope I find someone that I want to spend the rest of my life with and have a family"

"You're still young...don't rush into anything...finding the right person takes time and you have to make a few mistakes on the way" Paul said

"How do you know when you've found the right person though?" Nick said "I mean you could think you've found the right person and then ten years down the line find out you were wrong"

"I don't know..." Paul said "I just know that I don't think I could feel this happy with anyone else but Gail...but like I said don't rush into things...finish your education, get a scholarship to college and then decide what career path you want to take then you can start thinking about things like relationships"

Nick laughed "I swear this family is trying to get rid of me...everyone keeps trying to persuade me to go to college" he said

"That's not true and you know it...we just want the best for you, no matter where you are you'll still be part of this family" Paul said

"Thanks" Nick said looking at Robert, putting down his paintbrush he went to pick the child up, Paul let go of Robert's hand, Nick made Robert squeal with delight as he threw him up in the air and caught him.

"I'd be careful mate" Paul laughed, smiling at the affection between Robert and Nick "He's only finished eating an hour ago"

Nick looked at Robert "So what do you say little matey, do you want to go back inside and see what Cam and Loopy Lou are doing?" Robert put his thumb in his mouth and nodded. "Okay" Nick said handing the child back to Paul "Let me just finish clearing up here"

"Yeah supposed we should go back inside and rescue Gail" Paul said

"Your sister is so unlike the rest of the family" Nick said, placing a cover over the portrait he was painting "She's made it so obvious she doesn't approve of me being here"

"Yeah well no one's paying any attention so I wouldn't worry about what she says" Paul replied "Seems she learnt nothing from her last visit"

"I thought Scott and Charlene were coming for lunch today" Nick said

"They decided to have lunch with Madge and Harold...think they're planning on calling around later" Paul said, as he and Nick made their way out of the garage. On entering the kitchen Paul placed Robert on the ground, who immediately went off towards the living room. Seeing Robert and hearing their father's voice, Cameron and Elle stood up and went in the opposite direction carrying their pictures, bumping into Nick and Paul at the door of the living room.

"Daddy!" they squealed.

Nick and Paul crouched down as Cameron and Elle pushed their pictures in front of them.

"Hey you two what have you been up to" Paul cooed taking the pictures in his hand.

Nick smiled "Maybe we have two more budding artists on our hands" he said "Why don't we go back and do some more colouring"

Paul went to sit by Gail as Nick went back to the coffee table where Debbie and Lucy were busy drawing pictures for the triplets to colour.

"We've hidden the black crayons" Lucy said "The first picture Cameron did was just black crayon and Elle wasn't much better"

Nick laughed "Good idea" he said, tickling Cameron "We want nice colourful pictures, don't we"

Julie rolled her eyes, looking at Hannah colouring on the floor "You could let Hannah join you, Debbie" she said

"Why don't you all go in the kitchen and use the table" Gail suggested

"Good idea" Nick agreed, as he started to gather up the crayons, Cameron looked at him and began to help.

"Good boy" Nick said "Now let's go and show the girls how to really colour"

Lucy laughed "What do you think we've been doing?" she said

"Letting them scribble on a piece of paper and over you nice pictures" Nick smirked, standing up and picking up the crayons and paper before going into the kitchen, the triplets followed him.

"And you really think you can get them to colour properly" Debbie said "They're only little"

"Just you wait and see" Nick laughed.

After they were gone, Julie looked at Paul "I don't know how you can let that boy anywhere near your children" she said

"Hannah seems perfectly happy to go with him" Gail remarked

"She's not going with him...Debbie's there too" Julie said "But then I care about my daughter"

"Don't start Julie" Paul said "You don't know anything about how we're bringing our children up"

Jim walked into the kitchen, seeing the children he smiled and walked up to them stopping at the chair where Nick and Cameron sat, he looked down at the pictures and laughed "Well you have a little way to go before you become as good as your great gran" he said

"Where did you sneak off to after lunch?" Nick asked

"Just taken Beverley to the hospital as she had an emergency...going to pick her up at 5" he said, hearing raised voices in the living room he groaned "Maybe I should have stayed out longer"

"Julie doesn't approve of me spending time with the triplets, says she wouldn't let her daughter anywhere near me" Nick said, looking across the table at Hannah and Debbie.

"Ignore her!" Jim said as he walked towards the living room. Julie looked up at him as he walked in.

"So what's going on in there?" Julie asked

"The kids are having fun" Jim said, rolling his eyes. "Julie have you got a problem with that"

"I have a problem with the fact that you allow that layabout into our house" Julie replied

"Our house...Julie you haven't lived in this house for the past five years" Jim said "And there's nothing wrong with Nick...the kids love him"

"Well I wouldn't want my daughter spending time with him" Julie said, looking across at Paul and Gail "So you two when is the new baby due"

Looking at Gail, Paul rolled his eyes and sighed "In a couple of months" he said

"And I supposed that Gran and dad will be looking after it once Gail returns to work" Julie said

"Not that we have any intentions of letting anyone else but us bring up our children I don't know what business it is of yours what we do" Paul said

"I'm surprised you careers give you time for the children" Julie said "They must get in the way at times"

Gail frowned, sensing Paul getting uptight she squeezed his hand "Our children's welfare is the most important thing in our lives" she said

"Julie you can stop causing trouble right now..what is wrong with you, you're either picking on Lucy or Paul and Gail...I've just about had enough" Jim said

"Come on dad...you and I both know that Paul's incapable of caring about anything but business" Julie said "Actually I'm surprised Gail and the triplets are still here...thought she would have had the sense to dump him by now"

"You're out of line Julie...I have no intentions of leaving Paul" Gail said "Why don't you keep your vicious thoughts to yourself!"

"Well I guess at least you know who the father of the new baby is" Julie smirked

Paul and Gail looked at each others, "What's that supposed to mean!" Paul said

"Drop it Julie!" Jim said

"No dad...I want to know what she meant by that remark" Paul said

Julie rolled her eyes, a smirk appeared on her face "I've been reading up on the IVF programme...did you know how many accidents and mix ups happen...there's no guarantee that those three children are yours Paul" she said

"How low can you sink?" Gail said "I know who the father of my children is"

Julie laughed "They might not even be your children for all you know" she replied

"Julie that's a terrible thing to say...those children are definitely Paul's" Helen said "You can see that just by looking at them"

Paul closed his eyes, tired by the conversation and the fact that his sister had once again spoiled what could have been a nice family day, "I think it's time we left" he said standing up.

"You don't have to" Jim said

"I think we do" Gail said looking at Paul, she knew he was upset as he walked into the kitchen.

"What's going on in there" Nick asked when he saw Paul.

"We're leaving" Paul replied

"Paul the triplets are enjoying themselves" Lucy said "Do you have to go"

"Yes" Paul said angrily causing Robert to look at him, trying to calm himself he sighed "Look why don't you three come over to ours and you can continue colouring over there"

"Fine" Nick said "Come on guys let's pack up the crayons"

"Can I come too?" Debbie asked

Gail looked at her and then at Hannah "Sure" she replied

"What about Hannah?" Debbie asked

"Julie will just have to look after her own daughter...she's made it clear that she doesn't want Nick anywhere near her" Paul replied

Five minutes later they walked back into the living room, saying goodbye to Helen and Jim before going out the door, Julie looked up as Debbie passed her.

Where do you think you're going?" Julie asked

Debbi e turned, seeing Hannah standing by the kitchen door she sighed "Paul said I could go with them" she replied, not wanting to be stuck looking after Hannah.

"You can stay here and play with Hannah" Julie said

"That's not fair!" Debbie said

Paul rolled his eyes and turned "Julie...look after your own daughter...I said Debbie could join us" he said

"Well you could at least take Hannah with you!" Julie said

"Now who's trying to dump their child on someone else" Paul said angrily, as he walked out the door carrying Cameron "Look after her yourself"

As the front door was closed, Jim turned around and glared at Julie.

"Can't say you didn't ask for that" he said

"You wait until that girl gets home tonight" Julie said "She had no right to go out and leave her sister alone"

"Well maybe if you hadn't been so horrible they wouldn't have left" Jim replied "Why do you have to be so horrible"

"I was only speaking the truth..." Julie began

"I don't want to hear anymore." Jim said, getting up he walked into the kitchen.

Helen shook her head "I don't believe you sometimes...didn't you learn anything last time you were here...you can't go around upsetting people" she said "We could have had a nice family day but you have to spoil things"

Meanwhile back at number 22, Gail watched as Paul placed Cameron down and walked upstairs, sighing she decided that it was best to leave him alone for a while. Turning to look at Cameron who was stood staring at the stairs where his father had disappeared.

"Hey come on guys I thought you wanted to do some colouring?" she smiled

Nick went to pick Cameron up "Yeah...we can use the kitchen table" he said walking towards the kitchen.

"Hey will you be okay down here, while I go upstairs and see Paul?" Gail asked

"Sure" Nick said

Gail turned to go upstairs when suddenly she heard a squeal come from the kitchen, turning back she saw Cameron struggling in Nick's arms, walking towards them she smiled, stretching out her arms for the child "Hey you...what's wrong" she cooed

"Daddy?" Cameron said

Gail laughed "Okay you can come upstairs with me" she said

Carefully she carried Cameron upstairs locking the stairgate at the both the bottom and the top of the stairs, as she set Cameron down at the top of the stairs he toddled off towards the nursery. Checking that the stairgate was secured Gail went into see Paul, who was sitting on their bed holding the picture that sat on his bedside cabinet. Sitting beside him she rested her head on his shoulder. Paul turned slightly.

"They're my children" Paul said quietly as he gently stroked his fingers across the glass of the photograph.

"No one has ever said they weren't" Gail said

"Why does she has to be so horrible and spoil everything" Paul said "She never used to be this bad...yeah she was bossy...but I've never known her to be so spiteful"

"I don't know" Gail said "But could it be she's jealous"

Paul looked at her.

"Well look at it this way, I have a loving, faithful husband and she has a husband who doesn't seem to want to spend that much time with her...I mean look where is he today...out fishing with his son instead of joining the family for dinner" Gail said

"That's not our fault" Paul said

"I know...but she's obviously not happy" Gail replied

Their conversation was interrupted by Cameron running into the bedroom, carrying Paddington, going up to his father he dropped the bear unto Paul's lap.

"Thanks mate" Paul laughed as he gently placed the bear on the bed and picked up Cameron, stroking his head "I guess we should have let Hannah come with us...poor kid is going to be stuck with the adults for the rest of the day"

"I think that Debbie's worried that she's going to be in trouble when she gets home" Gail said "But she's not Hannah's babysitter"

"Guess we should go back downstairs and check on the other two" Paul said

"They're fine...they've got Nick and the girls giving them all the attention they want" Gail said "This one just wanted to be with you"

Paul laughed "There's always one isn't there" he said

"Ah but admit it...you love it when one of them demands one to one attention" Gail said

"Not at three o clock in the morning I don't" Paul replied "But it's usually Robert that follows me around"

"Guess whose attention he's got" Gail said

Paul rolled his eyes "Lucy!" he laughed, pulling Cameron closer to him.

Standing up with Cameron, he reached for Gail's hand "Come on let's go and see what's happening downstairs" he said

Gail stood up, picking up the Paddington bear from the bed, as she got to the nursery she walked inside and placed the bear on the rocking chair.

Walking downstairs and into the kitchen, Paul smiled at the concentration around the table "Hey you started without us" he said

"You were the one who went upstairs" Nick laughed "We didn't know how long you were going to be and as you know Elle waits for no one"

Paul looked at his daughter, who was busy colouring a piece of paper green "Aint that the truth" he said

"Who wants a drink?" Gail asked as she walked over to the sink. Handing Cameron to Nick, Paul went and helped Gail.

Ten minutes later, Gail placed a tray of drinks and biscuits in the middle of the table, far enough away so the triplets couldn't make a grab for the biscuits although this didn't stop Elle from trying.

"Hey you!" Debbie laughed, tickling her

Elle laughed pointing impatiently at the biscuits.

"No wait" Gail told her and laughed as the little girl managed to pout.

Paul laughed "I swear she's more like you every day" he said, kissing Gail as he went to get a spare chair from the laundry room.

Gail shook her head "Okay you three...one biscuit only" she said as she placed a biscuit in front of the triplets then handed the plate to Nick, who then offered it to Debbie and Lucy, laughing when Elle tried to grab Debbie's biscuit too.

"No" Debbie said laughing, lifting her arm high above her head so that Elle couldn't reach the biscuit "You have your own"

"She does it on purpose" Paul said "She knows it will get her attention" sitting down next to Gail.

"I think I'm going to be in trouble when I get home for not staying with Hannah" Debbie said quietly

Paul looked at Gail "Hey if you want to go and get her you can do" he said

"No...It's okay...she doesn't like Hannah being around Nick" Debbie said "And I like spending time away from both of them"

"Things that bad?" Paul asked

"In the beginning they weren't but since Hannah was born things have changed. She gets away with anything including breaking my things and I'm expected to look after her when Julie goes shopping. Most of the time I don't mind but there are times when I want to be out with friends and I can't as I have to look after Hannah" Debbie said

"So now you're here looking after our three" Paul laughed

"No I'm not...I enjoy being around them; they're fun to be with...I guess it's different as I don't have to spend time with them but I'm expected to look after Hannah" Debbie said

"Well I could always phone Emma and ask if her mum would mind if you came with me tonight" Lucy said

"I'm not sure I'd be allowed" Debbie said

"I'll phone her after we've had our drinks...then we can go back to Julie and tell her you're coming with me" Lucy said

"I'll let you tell her that" Debbie laughed.

Later that evening, Paul was washing up whilst Gail was resting on the sofa when the doorbell rang.

"Shall I get that or will you?" Gail said

Paul looked at her and laughed, putting down his tea towel he walked into the living room "You just stay there and relax...don't worry I wasn't doing anything important" he said

"Hey you ordered me out of the kitchen after dinner and told me to rest on here...I didn't want to move without your permission" Gail replied

"Ha ha" Paul said as he went to open the door. Seeing Jim and Beverly outside he invited them in. Gail got up out of the sofa to make a drink, Paul turned to her.

"Where do you think you're going?" he said

"Hi Jim, Beverley" Gail said "I was going to make a drink"

"No you're not" Paul said "Sit down and I'll do it"

"But you just complained because I didn't open the door" Gail argued.

"Hmm if we've come at a bad time..." Beverly said

Gail looked at her and laughed "No" she said sitting back down, "If he wants to make the coffee who am I to argue with him"

"Exactly" Paul said "Why don't you two sit down, I won't be long with the coffee"

Jim and Beverly sat opposite Gail "How was the rest of your afternoon?" Gail asked Jim.

"Tense" Jim replied "I went out and did some gardening to get away from it, I felt it I had stayed around Julie I might have something I might regret...what about you two"

"Paul was upset when we got home but he calmed down and we had a nice afternoon with the children" Gail replied

"We spent the afternoon colouring and then took them to the park for an hour" Paul said returning to the living room with a tray of drinks, placing them on the coffee table he sat next to Gail "It was nice of Emma's mum to let Debbie go with Lucy"

Jim smiled "I think Debbie was glad to be away from Julie and Hannah" he said

"We did tell her that she could go and get Hannah but she was happy not to. Don't think things are too good for her to be honest" Gail said

Jim sighed "Poor kid" he said "Julie was complaining about Debbie and Michael when you guys left, she wants to put them in boarding school but Phil won't let her"

"Why is she being so horrible dad?" Paul asked

"I don't know...but what she said about the triplets was out of order" Jim replied "You know we don't doubt those children are yours"

Gail smiled "Of course not" she said

"Urgh I wish she hadn't bothered coming down!" Jim said "I knew she was going to cause the minute she walked through the door"

"She's jealous of us" Paul said "She thinks the triplets get too much attention from you and Hannah is missing out"

"It's hardly my fault that you guys live next door and she doesn't" Jim said "If she hadn't behaved like she did when she came down at Christmas maybe everyone would be more pleased to see her"

"Jim don't let her get to you" Beverley said

"Well who does she think she is" Jim said "The minute she walked into the house she started telling me how I should make sure that Ann's engagement ring went to Hannah as Elle might not be my granddaughter and she would hate to see the ring go out of the family, then she makes Todd and Nick feel uncomfortable..."

"Dad..Nick was fine, he doesn't care what Julie thinks" Paul said "He enjoyed himself over here with the children"

"That's not the point he was made to feel uncomfortable in his own home" Jim said angrily "She just makes me so angry!"

"She'll be going home next weekend" Beverly said

"The way I feel at the moment...I hope she stays there" Jim said

"Dad...she's still your daughter" Paul said

Jim looked at Beverley then at Paul and Gail, closing his eyes he sighed "I'm sick of this" he whispered "She's not my daughter"

Paul looked at Gail slightly confused "Dad?"

Jim opened his eyes "I'm fed up with the lies and her coming here and causing trouble"

"What are you saying?" Paul asked

Jim looked at Beverley, wondering whether to tell Paul the truth or not.

"I brought Julie up as my daughter but she wasn't" Jim said

Paul looked confused "Are you saying mum had an affair" he said

Jim sighed "No" he shook his head "It was a long time ago"

"You don't have to tell us" Gail said

Jim looked at Paul, "After you were born...your mum and I agreed that we wouldn't have any more children for a while...I was studying and had to go on courses leaving your mum alone with you. At the time my boss used to come around to check to make sure that you and your mum were okay...well that's what he said anyway. One evening, whilst I was away he turned up at the house...your mum made him a drink as usual and they chatted for a while then one thing led to another and he forced himself on her...she tried to push him away but he was too strong" he said

Gail closed her eyes and reached for Paul's hand and squeezed it gently.

"Are you saying she was raped?" Paul asked

"Yes" Jim said "At first I didn't believe her...I thought she had been making a fool of me...carrying on behind my back. We split up for a while and she took you and stayed with Rosemary. Then one day at work I heard my boss gloating about it and how easy it had been to take what he wanted...I should have known she would never had cheated on me, but I was so stubborn in those days."

"Did you confront him?" Paul asked

"Yes I did...but he just joked about it...saying that you mum was missing the attention. She was devastated by what happened and wanted to get rid of the baby..she said it would spoil everything between us if she kept it but I persuaded her that it would be fine...that I would bring the baby up as mine" Jim said...that I would bring the baby up as mine" Jim said "She agreed but I don't think she ever felt the same for Julie as she did for Scott or you"

"It must have been difficult for her" Gail said "I can't imagine what she went through"

"It was" Jim said reflectively "When I changed jobs things got a little better; I even told her we could move house but she loved it in Ramsay Street"

"I can understand that" Gail said

"Does Gran know?" Paul asked

Jim shook his head "No...Ann's father was ill and we didn't want to worry her with our problems. She knew we separated for a while but we just told her we both needed some space" he said "It was only after what happened with Lucy that I realised that Rosemary knew the truth"

Paul sighed "I can't imagine what it must have been like...living with that secret" he said

Jim smiled "We coped and came out stronger because of it...the same way you two did with the IVF and the triplets when they were born" he said "We tried to treat Julie as though she was our own child...I adopted her so technically she is my daughter"

The room went silent for a moment, everyone deep in their own thoughts, Jim sighed breaking the silence "You two, this has to remain between us" he said

"Of course" Gail said

"I don't want Helen finding out about this...not after all this time" Jim said "But it's becoming increasingly hard to like anything about Julie at the moment"

"Dad...we won't say anything...besides I'd sooner stay well away from Julie at the present moment" Paul said.

"Paul...what she said about the triplets...I mean we know that your children...none of us have ever doubted that" Jim said "She was out of line and she knows it"

"We're not bothered what she thinks" Gail said

"So tell me how are my favourite grandchildren?" Jim asked

Paul laughed "They're fine...Elle's becoming more mischievous...not satisfied with having just one biscuit this afternoon she decided to try and pinch Debbie's as well" he said "The boys are going to find it tough keeping her inline when she's older"

"Who says they're going to keep her in line I think it will the other way around" Gail said "The three of them are healthy and happy, that's all we could ask for and want"

"Well I certainly saw that when I popped into the crèche the other day" Beverley said

"They always seem to enjoy the crèche, even Robert these days" Paul said

"You're going to have your hands full with the new baby" Jim said

"We'll cope somehow" Gail laughed "We had a baptism of fire with the triplets so one more shouldn't be that bad"

"And the hotel is doing fine and with the new office staff...I actually time on my hands to be able to help look after the children" Paul said

"Just make sure that continues" Jim said

"Jim, those three are in charge...the days of Lassiters and the Robinson Corporation being Paul's main concern are long gone" Gail said

"Hey I don't think that the Robinson Corporation was ever my main concern" Paul said "Supporting my family was my main concern and I could never do that if the business went under"

Gail smiled and rested her head on Paul's shoulder "Don't get defensive" she laughed

"You two know that we're always here if you need help" Jim said

"We know" the couple said

"Don't worry if we need babysitters we know where to come but we enjoy looking after them together" Paul said "They're changing so much that we don't want to miss anything"

Later that evening after leaving Paul and Gail's, Jim sat at the kitchen table whilst Beverley made some hot milk, after pouring the milk into the mugs she walked to the table and sat down.

"Do you really think it was wise telling Paul and Gail about Julie?" she said quietly

Jim sighed "I don't know...I doubt very much they will say anything" he said "To be honest I'm fed up with the snide remarks Julie makes about those two...I will stake my life on the fact that their marriage will last"

"So would I" Beverley said "I just worry that Paul might let something slip especially with the way Julie antagonises him"

"He won't...besides they want to keep out of her way as much as possible" Jim said "And they also know that Helen doesn't know the truth"

"I hope you're right" Beverley said

Jim picked up the mug and took a sip of the milk "I can trust them" he said

Meanwhile Paul stood in the nursery gazing down at Elle asleep in her cot, her thumb placed firmly in her mouth whilst her other hand held onto the koala bear, Gail smiled when she saw him, creeping up to him she wrapped her arms around him.

"Hey you what are you thinking?" she asked gently kissing his neck.

Paul turned to face her "Just thinking how peaceful she looks" he said "Also thinking about mum"

Gail sighed "It must have been really difficult for her...explains why she didn't really get on with Julie" she said "It must have been a constant reminder of what had happened...you know this can never come out...you can't use it against Julie not even in anger"

"I hate the way she maintains that you're not part of this family, that our marriage isn't going to last and then she insults us further by saying that these three may not be ours" he said "I also hate the way she is about Nick, time after time he proves how much he thinks of those children."

"Darling I know how you feel...but remember how much she hurt Lucy that Christmas, I know you're better than her and wouldn't intentionally hurt anyone" Gail said "And if this secret comes out it won't only hurt Julie but Helen also"

Paul looked at the ground, Gail looked at her sleeping daughter "Darling, whether Elle is 18 months old or 18 years old you would always want to protect her" she said

Paul looked at her "You know I would and the boys" he said quietly

"Then just imagine how Helen would feel if she found out what her daughter went through and she hadn't been there to help" Gail said

Paul kissed her "Darling...don't worry I promise you I'm not going to say anything" he said

"I love you Paul...let Julie say what she wants...our marriage is forever, these are our children and in just over three months time, we'll have another addition to this family" Gail said smiling.

"I love you too" He said, taking one last look at his sleeping children. "Come on let's go to bed...it's been a long day" placing his arm around Gail and leading her out of the nursery.

Gail turned; looking at the three cots in the nursery she smiled, "Good idea" she said feeling contented in Paul's arms she reflected on how strong their marriage was and how much she loved both her husband and her children.


	18. Chapter 18

The following morning, Gail woke to the sun streaming through the window, smiling she looked at Paul who still fast asleep and snoring; deciding that she couldn't stay in bed any longer she got up and grabbed her dressing gown off the bed. Taking another quick look at Paul she smiled, he looked so peaceful. Walking out of the bedroom she went to the Nursery to check on the triplets, smiling she saw that all three were awake but appeared to be happily playing in their cots.

"What are you up to?" she cooed as she walked up to Cameron's cot, looking up at her he handed her the teddy which he was playing with.

"Thank you" Gail smiled, gently she picked him up "Come on let's get you changed"

Placing Cameron on the changing table, she turned to glance at the other two seeing that they seemed content she turned her attention back to changing Cameron. After changing him she kissed him then placed him back on the floor.

Crouching in front of him she smiled "Why don't you go and wake up daddy" she said

Cameron looked at her "Daddy!"

"He's still in bed" Gail said

Cameron picked up his fire engine and went towards the door, realising what he was going to do Gail called after him "Hey where are you going with that!" she laughed

"Daddy" Cameron said turning around to face her.

Gail shook her head "Oh no you don't" she laughed taking the fire engine from him "I don't think daddy would appreciate being woken up by that"

Cameron looked at her and frowned, turning back towards the door he giggled as he went out. Gail shook her head and went towards Robert's cot.

Cameron walked into Paul and Gail's bedroom, seeing his father still in bed he walked towards him.

"Daddy, Daddy!" he called, banging his fist on Paul's leg. "Up...Up"

Paul groaned and tried to move away, but Cameron kept calling. Finally he opened his eyes, looking at the bedside clock he began to sit up, reaching for his son. "Guess I'm not going to get any peace until I get up" he said as he tickled his son.

"Daddy...UP" Cameron demanded

Paul laughed at the serious expression on his son's face "I suppose your mummy put you up to this" he laughed. Paul set him down on Gail's side of the bed and got up, picking up his dressing gown. Smiling he lifted his son into his arms and went to find the rest of his family. Walking into the nursery, he saw Gail at the changing table with Robert, setting Cameron down he walked over to kiss her.

"Good morning...thanks for the wake up call" he said "Mind you I would have like it better if you had done it"

Gail turned and looked at him "Yeah well...Cam was about to take his fire engine with him to wake you...so think yourself lucky I stopped him doing that"

Paul laughed "How about I go downstairs and make breakfast" he said

Gail kissed him "Good idea...I'm just about finished with this one?" she said, looking at Robert "So can you take the boys downstairs while I deal with Elle?"

"Sure" Paul said "Or do you want me to change Elle first for you"

"No...It's fine...you can go and get breakfast started" Gail said

Paul kissed her "If you're sure" he said, going to pick up the two boys.

An hour later Paul and Gail were sat finishing their breakfast when they heard Jim's voice coming from the back door, smiling he walked in.

"Hi" he said, walking into the kitchen "Just wondered if you two were still coming over this afternoon and whether I could persuade you to come for lunch too" Picking Robert out of the highchair when the child stretched his arms out.

"I'm sorry dad, we were going to visit Gloria this morning and then take the children up to the park for an hour" Paul said "Beside I don't think I want to put up with Julie's sniping for the entire day"

Jim sighed "She can be so difficult at times" he said

Gail smiled "Don't worry, she'll be gone in a couple of days, then things can get back to normal" she said

"Thank god for that!" Jim said placing Robert back in the highchair "Well I better go back and start getting the barbeque ready"

"You sure you don't want to stay for a coffee?" Gail asked

Jim smiled "No thanks...I'll see you this afternoon" he said, walking towards the kitchen door.

"Bye" the couple said in unison

After he had gone, Paul lifted the coffee pot of the table to pour him and Gail some more coffee, "Hey are you sure you want to go to dad's this afternoon...we can always cancel it" he said looking at her

Gail smiled "No...I'm fine...besides if we don't turn up that will give Julie that satisfaction that she's won" she said, picking up the plates from the table and taking them to the kitchen.

Paul turned towards her, smiling he stood up and walked over to the sink, placing his arms around her he kissed her "Well if she starts on her nonsense again we're leaving" he said "Besides I'd sooner spend the day alone with you"

Gail laughed "mmm" she said "Not much chance of that with these three" as she heard the fidgeting and grumbling of her children trying to escape their confines.

Paul rolled his eyes "Okay..who's first?" he laughed

Elle stretched out her arms "Daddy...down" she squealed, Paul walked over and lifted her out, kissing her he placed her on the floor, quickly turning her towards the toybox in the living room as she made an attempt to go towards the kitchen. "Oh no you don't. Go and find Paddington...you left him down here last night"

Elle toddled over to the toybox, Gail laughed as her daughter made quick work of relieving the toybox of its possessions. Paul then lifted the boys out of their chairs and they toddled off to help their sister mess up the living room. Paul walked over to Gail.

"I hope you know that you're cleaning up the mess they make" Gail laughed as Paul placed his arms around her.

"Should keep them busy for a while" Paul said as Gail turned to face him, smiling and kissing him she laughed.

"You can help me wash up then" she said handing him the tea towel.

"Thanks" he said

"So what shall we do this morning?" Gail asked "Go to Gloria's first and then the park"

"I guess Gloria's first as she mentioned yesterday that Dean was picking her up for lunch...then we can take these three to the park and hopefully get rid of some of their energy" Paul said

Gail smiled as she glanced over at the children "Not sure if that's possible" she said "Just think in a couple of month's time we'll have another baby on our hands"

Paul smiled "Yeah and I can't wait" he said

Gail rolled her eyes "We must be crazy" she said "Four children under the age of 2"

Paul put the tea towel down and walked up behind her, placing his hand around her waist , kissing her on the neck he laughed "Maybe...but this is what we always wanted" he said, glancing towards the mess his children had made on the living room floor.

An hour and a half later Paul and Gail sat drinking coffee at Gloria's while the triplets played on the floor.

"Thanks for the Easter presents Gloria...they're really nice" Gail said

"Well I thought clothes would be best...they're a bit young for Easter eggs" Gloria said

"Hmm I think these three might disagree with you on that point" Paul laughed "But you're right"

"I thought you'd be at the Robinsons today, seeing as its Scott and Charlene's last day" Gloria remarked

"We're going this afternoon, the less we see of my eldest sister the better" Paul said

"What is her problem?" Gloria asked

"Well where do I start" Paul laughed "For one thing she doesn't think our marriage will last, then she doesn't think we look after our children but on top of all that she doesn't believe that the triplets are ours"

Gloria laughed, glancing at the two boys playing on the floor "Well if they're not yours, then Paul, you have a twin brother"

Gail laughed "Please...one Paul Robinson is enough!" she said "We just prefer to stay out of her way...makes things less tense"

"She's probably jealous...I mean your children see their grandparents every day and I know that Jim loves helping out babysitting when you ask him to...so do I in fact...these three are a pleasure to be with...but Julie lives away so her daughter rarely sees her grandparents" Gloria said

"Yeah but that doesn't give her the right to make nasty comments" Paul said "And it's hardly our fault that we choose to live where we do"

"No...but you know what people are like" Gloria said "Besides you know the truth...everyone else believes these children are yours, and as for your marriage...with all the ups and downs you've had...I think it's strong enough, I can't imagine you two not together...and besides you went through a lot to have this family...I can't see either of you walking away from it now"

Gail smiled "Definitely not" she said "What time is Dean picking you up for lunch?"

"About 12.30pm?" Gloria asked, picking Robert up as he walked over to her. "Why"

"Just wondered if you wanted to come to the park with us" Gail replied

Gloria sighed "I'd love to but there are things I need to do before Dean comes" she said "But you would you two like another coffee before you go"

"Sure" Paul said "The triplets seem happy enough at the moment...we'll take them to the park a little later"

Gloria stood up with Robert in her arms; handing him to Paul she then picked up the mugs from the coffee table and walked into the room. Robert squealed to be let down, so that he could go back to his brother and sister, Paul laughed and placed him on the floor.

Meanwhile back at number 26, Jim and Nick were busy in the garden sorting the barbeque out whilst Julie and Helen were chatting in the living room.

"It's nice to have the family together again; just like old times...except for Nick...couldn't he have gone out for the day?" Julie said

"Don't start Julie...Nick is as much part of this family as anyone else" Helen said "You're father is already unhappy with you after what you said about the triplets yesterday"

"Only stating what other people might be thinking" Julie said

"I doubt that" Helen said "Other people haven't got the spiteful minds that you've got"

That's not fair Gran...just believe in speaking my mind" Julie remarked, looking towards her daughter who was busy colouring a piece of paper black, Julie frowned wondering why the child never seemed to like bright colours. "So where are Paul and Gail today?"

"They're coming later" Helen said

"Don't tell me...they've dumped the children in the crèche and are working this morning" Julie said smirking.

Helen rolled her eyes "No..for your information, they've gone to see Gloria and then they're taking the children to the park before coming here" she said

"Yeah I'm sure if you phoned the office, Paul would answer" Julie said "It's not fair Gran, dad hardly plays any attention to Hannah...it's all about the triplets and to think that they might not even be his grandchildren.."

"I don't want to hear it" Helen said, picking up her coffee mug.

"Hear what Gran?" Scott said as he walked through the kitchen.

"Hi darling" Helen said "Where's Charlene?"

"Outside talking to Lucy...what were you two talking about?" Scott asked

Julie rolled her eyes "Our useless brother and his supposed family" she said

"What are you talking about Julie?" Scott said looking slightly confused and sitting down next to Helen.

"Scott no one will listen to me...but I've been reading up on the IVF..." she began

"And just why would you do that?" Scott asked

"Well dad spends more time with them then he does with his own granddaughter...and well...mistakes happen on the programme...you can't be sure that those children are his" Julie said "He's given Paul mum's engagement ring and it's likely to be passed to Elle...who may not be his granddaughter"

Scott saw red "Jealousy isn't a very nice trait" Scott said "And I wouldn't let Paul hear you say anything like that"

"Too late.." Helen said quietly "She pointed it out to him yesterday"

"Please tell me he's not listening to her" Scott said

"Of course not" Helen said "All the same he isn't happy and neither is your father"

Scott sighed "You're unbelievable Julie!" he said angrily "Is that why they're not coming today.."

"Well they didn't want to spend all day with your sister, but they agreed to come this afternoon...I think they've taken the children to the park" Helen said

"I saw them leave earlier" Scott said

"Well at least this morning Hannah can get some attention from her grandparents" Julie said "It will be so much better without them"

"Pack it in Julie" Jim said coming back into the living room "You never give up do you?"

"Well dad I just think you spend a little bit too much time with those children...you never pay any attention to Hannah" Julie said

"Jealousy isn't a very nice strait" Jim said "And I don't want to hear another word. Just thought I'd come and tell you that lunch is ready"

"Aren't we waiting for Beverley?" Helen asked

Jim shook his head "No she wasn't sure what time she'd be back..so said not to wait and besides I want to go down to the garage this afternoon to do some paperwork" he said

"Dad I brought your granddaughter over to spend some time with you, but you've hardly spoken to her!" Julie complained

Jim looked at the little girl who had her back to him, suddenly he realised that he didn't feel the same pride for her that he did for Elle, rolling his eyes he turned back to Julie "Well if she's anything like you I don't want to know" he said

"Jim !" Helen said

"I'm sorry but I'm tired of her having a go at Paul and Gail and the triplets, she knows nothing about them" he said, turning and going back outside.

Gail was finishing washing up when Paul walked downstairs. She glanced up at him.

"All quiet up there?" she asked

"I think they're be asleep for an hour or so" Paul said "Elle was restless"

"Poor little thing I saw her fall but I wasn't quick enough to prevent it" Gail said

"It wasn't your fault...the problem is that she wants to keep up with Robert and Cameron but she's smaller than they are and isn't so fast" Paul said

"I hate it when they get so upset" Gail said

Paul went to her and wrapped his arms around her "I know...I do as well but she's fine, by this evening she'll have forgotten all about it" he said kissing her on her cheek. Gail leant back against him, feeling the warmth of his embrace.

"So I have a whole hour of you to myself do I?" she said

"You sure do, Mrs Robinson" Paul laughed

"What time did you say we'd be at your dad's" Gail asked

"I didn't" Paul said "But it's 1pm now so maybe 3pm, whatever time the triplets decide to wake up"

Paul took her hand and led her into the living room, sitting down on the sofa they cuddled up together.

"When's your next scan" Paul said, remembering that it was soon

"About a weeks time...do you want to come?" Gail replied

"Of course" Paul said "How are you feeling?"

Gail looked at him "I'm fine...I guess last time was more difficult with carrying three babies but this time hasn't been so bad" she said "Plus I've had your constant attention"

Paul laughed "Surprised you haven't got bored with me yet" he said "But unfortunately I might have to go into work a bit more this week as Chris is on holiday, but I promise I wont stay passed 6 o'clock at the latest"

Gail smiled "I know and it's okay...besides I can come in for a few hours in the afternoon and give you a hand" she said

"I forgot to tell you, I had a phone call from Rosemary last week" Paul said

"Oh...don't tell me she wants to buy Lassiters back" Gail said

Paul laughed "Hardy..ha ha" he said "No she just said that if we wanted her to come over for a few months when the baby is due she would do"

"Really that's nice of her, but I thought she was coming over for Christmas" Gail said

"She is...but it seems she doesn't mind leaving her staff in charge" Paul said "I guess it also gives her the chance to see more of Gran as well.

Gail smiled "its funny how she's sold the company to us two years ago and in those two years she seems to have spent more time here than she did when she owned it"

"I'm not complaining" Paul said "It's given me time to concentrate on what's important plus she's brought some good ideas into the running of the place as well as some good office staff...at least now I can take time off and know that the place is being run efficiently in my absence"

Gail rested her head on his shoulder "Well I'm not going to complain about having you around" she said

Paul sighed "This is what I love best...our children safe and sound upstairs and us down here cuddled up on the sofa. Don't get me wrong I love our children but I also love the time spent with just you" he said

An hour and a half later, Paul and Gail walked into the kitchen of number 26, Helen and Julie were sat talking, Paul couldn't help but notice how Julie rolled her eyes when she saw the couple.

"Hi you two" Helen smiled, noticing Elle in Gail's arms "Where's the boys?"

Paul looked at Gail and smirked "Ah we left them at home, knew that Julie wouldn't approve of all three children being here so we decided to bring Elle and leave them" he said

Gail rolled her eyes and shook her head "Paul!...they're outside playing with Lucy, Debbie, Scott and Charlene" she said

"Typical" Julie said "I suppose Hannah has been pushed out"

"Actually Hannah was playing on the slide on her own when we came in" Gail said "She wasn't interacting with the others, they were just sat chatting"

"What's wrong with this little one?" Helen asked, gently stroking Elle's arm.

Elle hid her face in Gail's shoulder, "She slipped and fell at the park" Gail said "It seems to have shook her up a bit...she's been subdued ever since"

"Poor little thing" Helen said "Can I make you two a drink"

"Yes please" Gail said "Do you mind if I go and sit with her in the living room?"

"Go ahead...you don't have to ask" Helen replied

Where's dad?" Paul asked

"He's gone to the workshop...hasn't been in a good mood all morning" Helen said

Paul frowned "I might just go and see him" he said as he headed into the living room with Gail,

After sitting down on the sofa, Paul turned to Gail "Are you going to be okay here while I go and see dad?" he asked, suddenly conscious of the last time he left her alone, only that time it was for a business meeting.

Gail smiled "Of course I will, don't worry...I've got some books in my bag, so Elle and I will have some mother/daughter time" she said, suddenly knowing what Paul was thinking "I love you"

Paul kissed her "I love you two...so much" he said, smiling and kissing Elle too "I won't be long" standing up and walking towards the door

Gail reached into her bag and pulled out some picture books that she placed on the coffee table, Elle cuddled into her and placed her thumb in her mouth, Gail kissed her head. Helen walked in with a mug of coffee and placed it on the coffee table, smiling.

"It's not often that we see Elle like this...she's usually tearing about the place" Helen remarked "Shall I bring her a something to drink?"

Gail looked at her daughter "Maybe a small fruit juice" Gail said "She had a drink earlier"

"Okay" Helen said "I checked on the other two and they're perfectly happy outside"

"That's good..." Gail said "I guess they're getting all the attention they require though"

Helen laughed "You bet...right I'll go and get this little one a drink" she said "Then I supposed I better go back to Julie...I asked her to come in here but she prefers being in the kitchen"

"It's okay...where's Beverley?" Gail asked

"She got called out" Helen said "Think she was relieved to have to go"

Gail smiled "Only a couple of more days and then it will be back to normal" she said quietly.

Gently stroking Elle's head, Helen smiled "Thank goodness" she said, sighing.

Gail watched Helen walk back into the kitchen, smiling she looked at Elle, cuddled up against "So little one what shall we do now?" she cooed, kissing the little girl.

"Book" Elle said, pointing to the coffee table.

Gail laughed as she leaned over to the coffee table to pick up one of the books, sitting back down, Elle cuddled into her once more and rested her head on Gail's shoulder. Gail opened the book and together they looked at the pictures.

Meanwhile back in the kitchen, Helen picked up her empty coffee mug and walked to the sink, getting hold of the spare toddler cup that she kept for the triplets, and filling it with apple juice from the fridge before going back into the living room. Smiling she placed the cup next to Gail's mug.

"She looks so peaceful" Helen said

Gail smiled "mmm...these are the times that Paul and I crave...when they just want to be quiet and cuddle up to us" she said laughing "It doesn't happen that often though these days"

Helen smiled "You've got your hands full with these three" she said "Not to mention the new baby"

"I know...hey you better go back into the kitchen unless Julie will start grumbling" Gail said sadly

Helen sighed "See you shortly...Paul shouldn't be too long" she said

Gail went back to the book she was reading with Elle, hugging the little girl closer to her she kissed her head.

Helen walked back into the kitchen and sat down opposite Julie "Do you really have to be so horrible?" she asked

Julie looked at her "I don't know what you're talking about?" she said "I just prefer the family around like the old days...now it seems this house is full of waifs and strays"

"That's not true...Nick is part of this family now and everyone else has accepted him and whether you like it or not Paul and Gail's marriage is solid" Helen said

Julie laughed "Gran...come off it...Paul doesn't know the meaning of the word 'love'" she said

"What makes you such an expert on him?" Helen said angrily

"Look at his history...I mean his first marriage was a great success wasn't it!" Julie said sarcastically

Helen shook her head "I don't believe you at times...what happened with Terri wasn't his fault" she said

Julie rolled her eyes "Yeah right" she said

Their conversation was interrupted when Hannah walked in.

"Mummy" she squealed as she ran up to Julie trying to climb into her lap.

"Hannah stop it" Julie said "Mummy's talking...you know not to interrupt me"

"I want to play!" Hannah cried

"Go and play with the others outside" Julie said

"They wont play with me" Hannah said

"Well go and play in the living room...there's some of your books in the bag in the bedroom...maybe you can do some colouring" Julie said

"Don't want to" Hannah cried "I want to stay with you"

"Do as I say" Julie said "I'm busy"

Helen shook her head as she listened to the conversation, sadly she watched a dejected Hannah walk away, meanwhile Gail had heard too and cuddled her daughter closer to her, Hannah entered the living room, seeing Gail and Elle sitting on the sofa she walked up towards them, climbing up on the sofa beside them.

Gail looked at her "Do you want to read the book with us?" she said quietly

Hannah nodded.

Gail smiled and Hannah moved closer to them resting her head on Gail's shoulder.

"Well Elle shall we let Hannah Join us?" Gail cooed

Elle gave a small nod, and then placed her thumb in her mouth, Gail laughed and they continued looking at the book.

Half an hour later, Elle looked up to see Paul standing in the kitchen doorway.

"Daddy!" she giggled

Gail looked up and smiled "How long have you been there for?" she asked

"Long enough" Paul laughed walking towards them. "You three looked so cute together and I didn't want to interrupt the story"

Gail smiled as Paul sat down "How's Jim?" she asked

Paul rolled his eyes "Not happy...I just worry about what will come out if Julie keeps behaving the way she is" he said quietly

Gail looked at the two girls, who were listening intently to the conversation "Do you two want another story!" she said

"Yes" they both replied

"Mine this time" Hannah said "Please!"

Gail laughed "Okay"

"It's in my bag...I'll go and get it" she said jumping off the sofa, looking at Elle she continued "Elle come too"

Gail looked at her daughter "Do you want to go with Hannah, sweetie"

Elle nodded and climbed off Gail, Hannah took her hand and they wandered off into the Lucy's bedroom to find Hannah's bag.

"Those two seem to be getting on okay..how come you got lumbered?" Paul asked

Gail laughed "I didn't get lumbered...I think she wanted some attention, I overheard Julie tell her to go away as she was busy so she came in here and cuddled up to us" she said "She's been fine"

"It's ironic isn't it...Jules has a go at us for 'neglecting' our children, which we don't, but it's her daughter who gets sent away when she wants some attention from her mother" Paul said "And not only that you're the one that gives her the attention she wants"

"mmm...to be honest I think Hannah is suffering because of who her mother is...I mean Lucy and Debbie ignore her, Scott and Charlene also pretend she's not there...to be honest it isn't fair" Gail said

Paul looked at her but said nothing

"Come on Paul...you wouldn't like it if they were treating Elle like that" Gail said

Paul sighed "No I wouldn't...but there's not much we can do about it" he said "And I also think the problem with Debbie is that Julie always sides with Hannah in an argument even when she knows she's wrong"

"I supposed that's only natural...I don't know" Gail said

"Yeah well she seems happy enough at the moment" Paul said as the two girls wandered back into the living room, spotting something in their little hands Paul smirked "What have you two got there?"

"Eggs" Hannah said "For me and Elle"

"No...Sweetie...not now, you won't eat your tea" Gail said

"Hey...I know why don't we break one of them in half and you can share it...you can have the other one later" Paul said, gently taking the egg from Elle's hand, Hannah handed Gail her egg which she broke in two and handed both pieces back to Hannah, who then handed half to Elle.

"Good girl Hannah" Paul smiled

"That was easy enough" Gail said quietly

Elle went and climbed back on Gail's knee, whilst Hannah remained standing by the sofa. Paul lifted her onto his knee.

"Who's going to read the story this time?" Gail said

"Daddy" Elle giggled

Paul took the book from Hannah and groaned "Lucy used to make me read this to her all the time" he said "Okay...if this is what you want"

The two little girls settled down to eating their half of the chocolate egg and listening to the story, Gail felt tired and rested her head on Paul's shoulder.

"You okay?" Paul whispered

Gail smiled "Yes just tired that's all" she replied kissing him.

"Let me know if you want to go home" Paul said

Gail laughed "I'm fine" she said

"Daddy!" Elle squealed

Paul laughed "Now I'm bossed around by two women" he said

Gail smiled "And don't you forget it" she said

Half an hour later, the front door opened and Gail looked up to see Jim walk in.

"Hi Jim" she said

"Hi" Jim replied then frowned when he saw Hannah sat on Paul's knee, shaking his head he walked into the kitchen.

Paul rolled his eyes but said nothing and carried on reading the book to the girls, Gail looked towards the kitchen door aware that any minute an argument would start.

Jim walked through the kitchen, slamming the door behind him. Helen looked up slightly startled.

"Jim what's wrong?" she asked

"Why are you sat in here?" Jim asked

"I just preferred it in here...where Gran and I could talk in private" Julie said "I mean there's so many waif and strays here at the moment"

Jim looked at her angrily, Helen stayed quiet "And what are Paul and Gail doing looking after your daughter" he said

"That's not my fault...I told her to go and play in the living room as I was busy" Julie said

"Too busy chatting to bother about your own daughter and you accuse Paul and Gail of being bad parents" Jim said "And what do you mean there are too many waif and strays in this house...I'm just about sick of your attitude"

"Dad that's not fair...I spend most of my day looking after my daughter" Julie said "And if you want my honest opinion it was one thing letting Todd stay here as he's Beverley's nephew but Nick...you don't know anything about him."

"You're unbelievable...the only person who has a problem with Nick is you!" Jim said

"Will you two please calm down" Helen said "I don't hear Gail or Paul complaining about looking after Hannah" she said as she stood up and headed towards the door, wanting to leave both Julie and Jim to it.

"That's not the point Helen...Julie constantly snipes at Paul and Gail about how they dump their children which we both know is not true...whereas when her daughter wants attention she tells her to leave her alone and go and play" Jim replied

Meanwhile back in the living room Paul stopped reading and sighed.

"I wish those two would stop it" He whispered looking at Gail

Gail sighed and shook her head, pulling Elle closer to her.

"Nobody likes me" Hannah said sadly "Grandpa don't like me"

Paul shook his head and closed his eyes "That's not true Hannah...it's just your mummy is causing problems" he said "It's not you"

"Why" Hannah asked

"Hey" Paul smiled, standing up with Hannah in his arms "Mummy will finish the story while I go and sort out the adults" he said stroking Elle's cheek

"Darling...don't make things worse" Gail said

"I'm not going to...but these two have been happily listening to stories all afternoon..." Paul said "Dad and Julie are spoiling things by arguing"

Paul placed Hannah beside Gail on the sofa, looking at Gail he smiled and kissed her "I'll be back a minute" he said

Hannah moved closer to Gail and she placed her arm around the child, moving her closer to her and Elle. "Where were we?" she said

Paul glanced back before opening the kitchen door, seeing the three huddled together on the sofa he smiled, sighing he opened the door and walked into the kitchen closing the door behind him.

"What is going on in here?" he asked "We can hear you next door"

"What's it to you" Julie asked "It's not my fault that Hannah chose to disobey me and pestered your wife"

Paul shook his head "Neither Gail or I are complaining about looking after Hannah...she's been happily listening to stories with Elle" he said "But you two arguing is upsetting both of them"

"It's not my fault that dad doesn't like hearing the truth..." Julie said "Those children are not necessarily yours and they've let Nick live here without knowing anything about him...how do they know how trustworthy he is...it just feels this is no longer a family home but full of strangers"

Helen rolled her eyes, deciding to leave them to it, she wandered out into the living room, making sure the door was closed behind her, Gail looked up and smiled.

Paul forced himself to stay calm "I don't want to hear it Julie...I trust Nick enough to be godfather to the new baby when it's born and as for the triplets, you know nothing about the IVF programme or what Gail and I went through to have those children...there is no doubt in my mind that they are our children" he said "By the way is Phil sure that Hannah is his daughter"

"Of course he's sure...dad are you going to let him say things like that to me?" Julie protested.

"It's no worse than what you're saying about the triplets...he just asked a valid question" Jim replied

"That's right side with him...I don't know why I bother with this family...I'm obviously not wanted around here" Julie said

"Not when you're saying the things you are" Jim said

The conversation was interrupted by the sound of the laundry door opening and voices. Paul smiled when he saw the boys run in.

"Daddy!" they squealed, running up to him. Paul knelt down and lifted them both into his arms.

"What's wrong with you two?" he said "Thought you were playing"

"I think they're hungry!" Lucy said "Either that or they thought you had deserted them.

"That would be the day" Paul said "Come on let's go into the living room"

Helen looked up as Paul, Lucy and Debbie walked into the living room, Paul placed the two boys on the floor and they immediately wandered over to Gail.

"Here comes trouble" Gail said smiling, looking at the girls.

"Think they're hungry" Paul said sitting back down by Gail "The girls have worn them out"

Helen laughed "Definitely takes after you then" she smiled

"Do you want any help?" Gail asked

"No...you stay here, I'm sure Lucy and Debbie don't mind helping" Helen said looking at the girls

"Sure" Debbie said "Think the boys have finished playing with us"

Later that evening Paul and Gail were getting ready for bed, Paul felt tired, Gail turned to see him watching her.

"What's up with you" she smiled walking towards him, Paul stretched out his arms and she walked in to them, wrapping his arms around her he hugged her tightly and kissed her.

"Just tired" he said

Gail lifted her head and looked into his eyes "Your problem is you let your sister get to you" she said

"How can I not...she's forever sniping at us...implying that the triplets aren't ours; refuses to believe that our marriage is forever" Paul said exasperated

Gail rolled her eyes and smiled "I love you so much" she said "The only thing that matters is that we know this marriage is going to last and that we know these children are ours...don't listen to her."

"She's like a broken record...going over and over the same thing every time we see her" Paul said "Urgh I don't want to think about her anymore"

"Don't then" Gail laughed "I'm sure there are better ways to spend your time"

Paul laughed as he kissed her "Hmm, I'm sure there are" he whispered as he pushed her gently towards the bed.

A month later, Paul was busy working in the spare bedroom, fitting it up for the new baby whilst Gail had finished putting the triplets to bed and wandered into the room to take a look at how her husband was doing, Paul turned sensing her presence.

"Not bad!" she smiled walking over to him

"Thanks" Paul laughed "Thought it was best to have a neutral colour that way it doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl"

"If you want to know what it is we can find out at the next scan but to be honest I don't see that it's that important" Gail said frowning slightly

Paul put down his paintbrush and smiled "No...It's not important and if you don't want to know then neither do I" he said

"We only have another six weeks to wait" Gail said "Are you nearly finished in here as dinner will be ready shortly"

"How do you do it?" Paul laughed

Gail looked at him curiously

"Well you managed to get the triplets changed and in bed and dinner ready and it's not even 7.30pm"

"Well you helped me" Gail said "I mean playing with the triplets when you came home from work for an hour helped to tire them out and also gave me a chance to start dinner, then you come up here and start the decorating"

"Yeah well I couldn't concentrate at work so by 4.30pm I decided it was time to come home...thought I would help you with feeding but you had everything under control" Paul said smiling

Gail put her arms around his waist "Well I happen to like having you home early" she said "And not just to help with the triplets...strangely enough I miss you when you're not here"

"Why strangely" Paul laughed "Don't worry Rosemary will be here in a month's time and I can step away from work...not sure if we really need her this time as Chris said he could manage but she offered so I wasn't going to refuse"

"I'm not going to complain!" Gail smiled kissing him "Hey, why don't you have a shower and get changed...you've done enough in here tonight"

"Okay" Paul replied "I'll just tidy up"

Later that evening Paul and Gail sat cuddled up on the sofa; Gail yawned and closed her eyes.

"Hey" Paul said "You falling asleep on me!"

Gail turned and looked at him "No...Just a bit tired...what with looking after the triplets and this baby kicking" she said

Paul pulled her closer to him, placing his hand on her stomach, Gail smiled as she watched him "Well everything seems to be quiet in there at the moment" he said

Gail laughed "Thank goodness" she said

"I'm not going into work tomorrow...well there's a couple of conferences on but nothing that Chris can't handle and he was more than happy to deal with them" Paul said

"Darling I'm fine...if you need to go in then do" Gail said looking at him

Paul shook his head "I don't want to...thought I could do some more on the baby's room and look after the triplets..." he said

Gail turned in his arms "You know what...when I first found out I was pregnant again I was scared...scared that it would change things between us...that once again you would find reasons to be at work rather than here with me...but you promised me that this time things would be different...and you kept that promised...right now I feel safe and loved...you've been with me every step of the way whether it's looking after the triplets, hospital visits or even ante natal classes which I know you hate" she said

Paul smiled, looking at her he saw how much happier she looked than when she was pregnant with the triplets, he knew that his obsession with work has caused a rift between them and that after taking over the business he felt he needed to put his whole energy into building it up "I love you so much and I just need to know that you know that...and that you will never feel the urge to walk out that door again or out of my life"

"No chance of that" Gail said sleepily

"Hey you, I thought we were going to have a popcorn and movie night" Paul said "Or does my company make you feel tired"

Gail hugged him tightly "Of course not...your offspring upstairs make me feel tired not to mention the little one in here" she said looking at her expanded stomach.

"Don't worry darling..I'll look after the three monsters tomorrow and you can have a rest" Paul said, "So do you want to the watch the film or go to bed"

Gail looked at him "I'm not bothered about the film but I wouldn't mind cuddling up here to you for a while" she replied

Paul smiled pulling her closer to him "Can't think of anything nicer" he said kissing her tenderly.

The following afternoon, Paul was playing with the triplets in the garden when Helen walked in.

"Thought I heard you out here" she smiled

"We've just come back from the park, Gail's upstairs having a rest so I thought I'd bring these three out here" Paul said

Helen looked concerned "Everything okay?" she asked

"Yeah...Gail's just tired, these three have so much energy at the moment, and unfortunately I had to go into work for a couple of hours this morning" he said

"You're not overdoing it are you?" Helen asked, picking up Cameron as he came towards her

Paul shook his head "Of course not...there was just a problem this morning with a client who wanted to see me and refused to deal with Chris...but I told him that in future his point of call is through Chris" he said "I was home by 11am"

"You know you can ask us for help anytime you want to" Helen said

"I know Gran...and we will if we need any but we're fine"

"I just worry about you two...what with coping with the business and the triplets and now a second pregnancy it can't be easy" Helen said

Paul laughed "Honestly Gran we're fine, this last year has been amazing...we're closer than ever and I've learned the lessons of last time" he said "I was obsessed with building the company up, plus the pressure of having Hilary breathing down my neck didn't help"

"Glad to see things have changed" Helen said looking towards the children playing on the grass.

"Yeah these days the triplets are in charged and they don't let us forget it" Paul said

"Just remember that you two also need to make time for each other" Helen said

Paul laughed "We do..honestly Gran there is nothing to worry about...I love her so much and she knows it...in fact my priority is making sure she knows it...I'm not prepared to lose what we have and if I have to tell her every day how much she means to me then so be it" he said "Hey do you want to stay for dinner tonight...I'm cooking"

Helen laughed "What's on the menu?"

"Spaghetti Bolognaise!" Paul laughed "I'll start on it once we've got these three fed and ready for bed"

"Darling...you really do need to learn to cook other things" Helen said

"Yeah...I do know how to cook but Spaghetti is easy and quick!" Paul said "Do you want a coffee?"

"Sure...need any help" Helen replied

Paul rolled his eyes "No...but can you please keep an eye on these three" he said

"Sure" Helen said

"Daddy" Robert called as Paul walked away

Paul turned around to see his son run up to him "You want to come with me?" he said picking the child up

Robert nodded his head, as Helen laughed, "See he's still your shadow" she said

Paul looked from her to Robert "He has good taste" he said "Come on then, let's go and make some coffee"

Paul walked into the kitchen, placing Robert on the floor he looked up to see Gail walking down the stairs,

"I thought you were resting" Paul said smiling as she walked into the kitchen.

"Couldn't sleep..." Gail laughed walking up behind him and placing her hands around his waist "I missed you by my side"

"Thought my snoring kept you awake" Paul said turning in her arms

Gail laughed "It does...but I'm used to it now and it's kind of soothing" she said, glancing at Robert who had headed into the living room and was in the process of emptying the toybox "Where's the other two?"

"Gran's outside watching them...I came in to make some coffee and of course Robert had to follow me in" Paul said

"Hmm..." Gail said "Guess someone has to keep an eye on you"

"Thanks...do you want a coffee?" Paul said, glancing at Robert he sighed "Robert...put those toys back!" he called trying to sound authoritarian.

Robert stopped what he was doing, looked at his father, for a moment than went back to the job in hand, taking more toys out of the box. Gail suppressed a laugh, shaking her head she walked over to the box.

"Hey you...what are you looking for?" she said, gently stroking the boy's head, Robert held up the fire engine and showed Gail, smiling she laughed "Okay...now can we put the toys back in the box please"

Robert frowned and shook his head, "Come on" Gail said, beginning to put the toys in the box, Paul smiled wondering how many toys Robert was going to put in the box, kneeling down Robert began to help, almost putting his fire engine back.

"Hey you want that!" Gail laughed retrieving it from the box and handing it to him. Finally Robert got up and walked back towards the kitchen.

"Hey...you know you not allowed to play in the kitchen matey" Paul said kneeling down in front of his son, Robert frowned at him, then crawled back into the living room, pushing his fire engine in front of him.

Gail walked back into the kitchen "Hey have you made that coffee yet?" she said

"I was just watching you two" Paul laughed "How come the toys they want are always at the bottom of the box and they always have to throw out every toy in order to get to it"

Gail laughed "Who knows" she said "But they reasonably good at putting the toys away if you help them, are you okay making the coffee and keeping an eye on him?"

"Sure go and see Gran...I'll be out in a minute" Paul said, kissing her on the cheek.

Gail walked out into the garden; Helen smiled as she went and sat beside her.

"I thought you were resting" Helen said

"I was but I couldn't really sleep properly...guess I miss Paul's snoring" Gail said "It's kind of comforting"

"I'll take your word for it" Helen laughed "So how are you?"

Gail looked at the two children playing nearby "I'm fine...a little tired; I mean the triplets are constantly on the go at the moment, it was easier when they couldn't move very far" she said

"Hmm...Unfortunately they seem to take after their father...from the moment he could crawl there was no stopping him; he was into everything if you didn't watch him" Helen said

Gail laughed "I can imagine" she said

"I hope he's looking after you" Helen said

Gail smiled "He's not doing too bad, and I've been able to keep working so haven't been stuck here with him working all hours...he takes his share of looking after the triplets" she said "He promised me this time things would be perfect and he kept his promise so far"

"I'm glad...Rosemary will be here in a couple of weeks so that will take the pressure of where work is concerned" Helen said

"Sure..but I know he needs to be actively involved with the business even if Rosemary is here...but I know that he's no longer obsessed with it" Gail said

"I see Robert is still following him around like a shadow" Helen smiled

"Sometimes but so does Cameron and even Elle...it depends on what sort of mood they're in..sometimes they're happy playing then other times they just want to be around us...which is nice" Gail said

"It'll be interesting to see what the new baby is like" Helen said "Have you chosen any names yet?"

Gail smiled "We've been toying around with a couple of names but as we don't know if it's a boy or a girl we're undecided" she said "I mean the triplets names were only decided upon just before they were born and we only had two sets of names"

The weeks went by quickly for Paul and Gail, Paul found he took over looking after the triplets more and more as Gail became tired; he found his old fear of what happened to his mum crop up especially on the days that Gail seemed really tired and drained but she seemed to sense his moods and managed to calm his fears, as the weeks went by he found he left the office to Rosemary more often, determined to be with Gail as much as possible, helping her cope with the triplets and also giving her back massages when her back ached. It was one morning in early June and the baby was more than a week late, when Paul woke up early, reaching out for Gail he found she wasn't there, curiously he sat up and was about to get up when she came back from the bathroom.

"Hey you don't look too good" Paul said

"Thanks...I think the baby's on it way" she said "I've been having contractions on and off all night but they're getting stronger now"

Paul got out of bed and walked to her, wrapping his arms around her "Why didn't you wake me?" he said

"They weren't that regular and I wanted to be sure before disturbing you" she said

"Have you been awake all night?" he asked "I could have sat up with you"

Gail smiled, "Darling...its fine...there was no point in both of us being awake" she said

"I'll phone Gran and see if she can come round and look after the triplets and then I'll get dressed" Paul said, as he let go of Gail and walked towards the door.

Gail slowly managed to get dressed, as she walked out of her bedroom, she went into the nursery, the triplets were awake but playing quietly...it amazed her how these days they seemed quite content to play in their cots and wait until either her or Paul got up. She turned on hearing footsteps behind her, Paul smiled as he came towards her.

"How are they?" he asked

Gail laughed "Peaceful" she said walking up to Elle's cot, the little girl looked at her and gave her a wide grin

"What are you up to?" Gail cooed.

"Mama" Elle said

"Okay we'll get you up soon" Gail said

"Are you ready...because I'm going to get dressed" Paul said "Gran and dad will be here in a minute.

"Ready as I'll ever be" she replied

The hours seemed to pass slowly after Paul and Gail arrived at the hospital after leaving the triplets in the safe hands of their grandparents. Paul hated seeing Gail in so much pain, the only comfort he could give her was gentle back rubs. Nearly seven hours later, Paul felt a sense of relief when the baby finally appeared; smiling to himself when the nurse announced that it was a baby girl...now he felt his family was complete. After the baby had been cleaned and wrapped in a blanket the nurse handed the baby to Gail, Paul smiled and kissed Gail's forehead, and gently stroked his new daughter's hand.

"This is perfect...our family is now complete" Paul said "I love you so much"

Gail smiled and looked down at the baby in her arms, looking back at Paul, she saw tears in his eyes "Love you too...so much" she said

Paul looked back down at the baby "So what are we going to call this one?" he said

Gail laughed "I told you I wanted to call her Helen" she said

"Helen Louise?" Paul said

Gail looked at him and frowned "I don't know about that!" she said

"Hey the names fit together nicely" Paul said "You know she looks exactly like you"

Gail smiled "You know what Ian said the first time he saw me he was reminded of Louise" she said

"Hmm he told me that too" Paul replied "So why not give our daughter her name as a middle name"

"Okay...I guess that wouldn't hurt but Paul why didn't she want me...or even try to find me" Gail said

Paul sighed "Darling...we've been through this, she was pressurised by her parents to give you up, maybe she did try looking for you but decided that as your name was not on any registers that you didn't want to be found...there are a number of reasons why you can't find her...I think that's why Ian wants to go to England to find out what happened to her" he said

"I know what you're thinking" Gail said

"Hey that's not talk about this now...it's not the time for sad thoughts" he said "Look we have another beautiful daughter to add to our other beautiful children"

Gail smile lit up her whole face "I know" she said

A while later Paul went and phone home to check on the triplets whilst the nurse moved Gail into another room and made her more comfortable. Gail noticed the frown on Paul's face when he walked back in.

"What's wrong?" she asked "Are the triplets okay?"

"Yes except Elle's been restless all day...wouldn't eat her breakfast and only ate a little lunch, refused to have a nap" Paul said "I don't understand, she's usually the most confident of the three of them but there are times when she clings to us as though we're going to leave her"

Gail smiled "She was like that with me when you were in hospital and when you went away on the conference last year" she said

"Dad said he'll bring her in later...maybe she'll be better after she's seen us" Paul said

A couple of hours later Jim walked into the hospital room carrying a crying Elle. Gail stretched out her arms to take her. Gently she stroked Elle's back until her crying ceased.

"Has she been like this all day?" Paul asked

"On and off" Jim said "But she did eat her dinner tonight"

Paul stroked her forehead "She isn't hot so she's not sickening for anything" he said

"Beverley checked her out earlier" Jim said, as he walked over to the basinet at the side of the bed "she's fine...just missing you two"

Paul walked over to where Jim was standing "So you two have another daughter" Jim smiled as he looked down at the baby "She's beautiful...have you chosen a name yet"

"Yes..." Paul said looking at Gail "We decided on Helen Louise...well Elle has her grandmother's name as her middle name so we thought if we had another daughter we couldn't think of anything better than naming her after her great gran" he said

"That's nice" he said, laughing as he heard Elle's gurgling behind him, turning he shook his head "It's unbelievable that an hour ago she was screaming the house down"

"That's Elle for you...she can change so quickly" Paul said, walking back to his wife and daughter. "Let's hope the new baby is calmer...hope they haven't been too much trouble for you"

"No not really...I took the boys to the park with Lucy this afternoon, whilst Helen looked after Elle" Jim said "How are you two going to cope with four babies now?"

"As we always do" Paul said "We're a team."

Gail smiled kissing Elle and holding her close "One more baby isn't going to make a difference to us...we always wanted a big family" she said

"And you've got one!" Jim laughed, stroking the new baby's face. "Helen and Lucy are going to stay at your house tonight to look after the babies, I presume you wont be home still late Paul?"

"Probably not" Paul replied "Thanks"

"Do you want me to take Elle home?" Jim asked

Paul looked at his daughter, content in his wife's arms "No she's fine...she might fall asleep better here than if you take her back home" he replied "I'll bring her home with me"

"Okay well I better head off" Jim said, kissing Gail and Elle "Take care you two and I'll see you tomorrow...congratulations on the new baby...she's beautiful"

"Thanks dad" Paul said

Once alone, Paul looked at Elle now sucking her thumb. Tickling her he smiled "What was all that fuss about today little one" he cooed, Elle smiled and stretched out her arms for him, Gail let her go and Paul took her.

"Daddy" she squealed as Paul lifted her high above his head, bringing her back down her kissed her "Come and see you new sister" he said as he walked over to the basinet with her.

Gail smiled as he watched the interaction between Paul, Elle and the new baby, Paul gently taking Elle's hand and stroking the baby's cheek with it. Elle cooed and giggled. Paul caught Gail's eye and smiled, one more look at the baby then he turned back towards Gail, going to sit next to her. Paul gently pulled Gail towards him and they cuddled Elle close.

"This is all I ever wanted...a family of my own...I love you so much" he said

Gail smiled "This is just the beginning darling...we have a whole lifetime to watch these children grow up...I love you too and I know that is never going to change." She said resting her head on his shoulder. Contently they stayed there, holding each other knowing that all their dreams had been realised and their love for each other and their children was all they needed.


	19. Chapter 19

Two months later, Gail sat feeding Helen-Louise on the sofa in the early hours on her own looking down at her contentedly feeding, when she sensed movement on the stairs. Looking up she saw Paul wander down yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"Hey" she said quietly "Did we wake you?"

Paul smiled and sat down beside her, kissing her forehead "No...I reached out for you and woke up...so I thought I'd keep you company" he said bending to kiss Helen-Louise on her head without disturbing her. "Anyway, darling you know you don't have to do this downstairs"

Gail smiled "Yes but I don't want us to wake you" she said smiling

Paul laughed "Hey you can disturb me any time you want..."

"In that case then how about a drink?" Gail replied raising her eyebrows and smiling

Paul stood up and wandered into the kitchen sleepily, putting on the kettle. Gail smiled as she heard him humming as he made the drinks.

"Aren't you lucky you've managed to get out of late night feeds" Gail smiled teasingly as she placed the baby on her shoulder, gently patting her back.

"Hey I never complained about feeding time not even at 3am in the morning" Paul said

"I know" Gail replied shooting a smile towards Paul

Paul chuckled "Parenthood...if we knew what we were really letting ourselves in for would we actually have thought twice about it" he said

Gail smiled "Mmm" she said "Without a doubt, but this has to be the most rewarding thing we have ever done"

Paul smiled and kissed her as he returned with their drinks "Hmm for once I agree with you"

"That's what I like to hear" Gail replied "Hey Helen-Louise doesn't seem to be settling do you want to try whilst I have my drink"

"Sure" Paul said, putting his mug down as Gail passed the baby to him, holding her gently he spoke soothingly to her and stood to rock her gently.

Gail watched them both "You're going to spoil our children rotten aren't you" she said gently.

"They're worth spoiling" Paul said as he looked at Helen-Louise "Besides I spoil you all the time Mrs Robinson".

At first Paul thought he had got away with his cheek but when he next turned he saw Gail had drifted off to sleep on the sofa cupping her mug still. He looked at Helen-Louise asleep on his shoulder who was bound to stir if moved and knew Gail had been tired so he decided to sit down next to her and relax back instead of waking them both. It wasn't long before tiredness crept up on Paul and he drifted in to a light sleep beside Gail with Helen-Louise sleeping on his shoulder.

What seemed like minutes but was in fact a couple of hours passed and it was Paul that stirred first, initially wondering where he was but feeling the warmth of Helen-Louise on his shoulder he remembered getting up in the night. He looked beside him to see Gail was still asleep and it was only then that he heard the familiar high pitch squeal from Elle in her cot. Paul nudged Gail hurriedly and she woke sleepily as Paul passed Helen-Louise to her before rushing up the stairs still trying to wake himself up. Gail was left smiling to herself about falling asleep on the sofa and the commotion upstairs as Paul walked in to the nursery as Elle called out to him and hearing Paul trying to keep her quiet so the boys didn't wake as well.

By the time Paul returned with Elle he found Gail in the kitchen starting breakfast and Helen-Louise in the basinet. Elle called out to Gail as they rounded the corner in to the lounge and she looked up and smiled.

Paul said "Well that's charming, you wake me up and I race up to get you and you immediately want your Mummy".

Gail laughed as she took Elle "she's just wise"

"charming, I'll remember that next time you are up in the early hours with one of our children Mrs Robinson, I'll perhaps just stay in bed and won't keep you company" Paul replied.

"Well, if you put it like that . . . ." Gail said passing a look at Paul and kissing him good morning.

Paul laughed "mind you do you realise we possibly spend more time with our children then most parents" he said as he continued preparing breakfast.

"Sharing the workload and the children has helped as well as keeping the weekends free for us...by the way how are things in the office?" Gail said as she poured Paul's coffee.

Paul laughed "Thought we weren't allowed to talk about the office at home" He said

Gail rolled her eyes "I know it's early, I just asked a question...I'm still interested in my investment" she said

"Your investment...I see" Paul laughed "Well Rosemary doesn't seem to be in any hurry to leave...which means I don't have to go into the office, but we need to recruit possibly an assistant for the Promotions Manager"

"Conferences going that well are they?" Gail asked surprised

"They're booming at the moment...all the function rooms are fully booked for the next couple of months and we've already had enquiries for next year"

Standing beside the basinet Gail said "That reminds me are you working today or can you look after the triplets while I take this one for her check up ...I could take Elle with me if that helps"

"Don't be silly...I am capable of looking after the three of them" Paul said

Later that afternoon Paul decided to venture over to No. 26 with the triplets armed with toys and had just knocked at the front door as he looked down at them standing in front of him.

"Okay you three behave yourselves" he said, laughing when the boys looked up at him innocently.

"Hi Gran" he said as she opened the door.

"Darling what a pleasant surprise, what are you doing here?" Helen said as she stepped back to let them in.

"Oh I'm just looking after these three whilst Gail takes Helen-Louise to see Beverley, so I thought we could come and see what you were up to, are we disturbing you?"

"Of course not, nothing wrong is there?" Helen replied

As Paul helped the children down the steps he replied "Oh no it's just a check up...they're both fine hopefully" Paul said

"So how is everybody?" Helen asked

"Triple trouble I'm afraid...the boys are fine but Elle insists on taking out all the toys" Paul said

"Aha the joys of parenthood!" Helen said as she returned from the kitchen with drinks for all of them "You used to be the same"

"We started potty training them yesterday" Paul said "The only one who managed to sit on the potty for more than four seconds was Robert and that was after he decided that the nursery was not the place for the potty and went and sat on it in the bathroom"

Helen laughed "That child is going to go far" she said

"How is Gail?"

Paul smiled holding out his arms as Robert came towards him, picking him up and placing him on his lap cuddling him close "She's fine...a little tired" he said

"You are helping aren't you Paul" Helen said pointedly

Paul laughed "If you call getting up in the night to keep Gail company whilst feeding Helen-Louise, yes. No seriously of course I am...the good thing is with Rosemary still here I don't have to worry about the office as much."

"Hmm she seems happy enough to stay at the moment" Helen said "By the way did you know that Jane is back...I saw her get out a taxi yesterday and go into Joe's"

"No I didn't" Paul said casually "Wonder how long she's back for."

"Until Nell Worthington orders her back to England I should imagine" Helen said

"Hmm do you think the idea of her granddaughter marrying Des brought on Mrs Worthington's heart attack" Paul said raising his eyebrows

"I should hope not but you could never tell with Nell and I shouldn't imagine she liked the idea of Jane marrying Des" Helen replied "By the way, have you heard from Des since he left?"

Paul sighed "No...just think he needed to get away from things and spend some time with Jamie; I think this street holds too many memories for him."

"It's been a rough couple of years for him and Jamie...first losing Daphne and now Jane" Helen said

"Poor little Jamie...so many people have disappeared from his life" Helen said looking towards the three playing in the lounge with the toys Paul had brought over.

Paul followed Helen's gaze and sighed "I know Gran, first Daphne, then Eileen moving away, Bronwyn stops looking after him then Jane leaving...makes me glad that Gail and I are together and able to give our four stability...after all that's what every child needs" he said

Helen broke the silence and laughed "When did you become all philosophical?" she joked

"The minute these three were born. Hey I was thinking about what to do for Gail's birthday...this year I think we're going to have to stay here"

"I think so...how about a surprise party?" Helen said "You could invite Ian over"

"Hmm...what pretend I've forgotten her birthday, look how much trouble that got me in last time" Paul said

Helen shook her head "You don't have to forget her birthday, let us look after the children and spend the day together then surprise her with a party at our house in the evening" Helen said

"What would I do without you Gran, that's a great idea. I had better think of a really good birthday present too as she's going to be 30 this year" Paul said

Helen laughed "I wouldn't mention that too much if I were you...could find yourself in the doghouse" she said

"Spoilsport..." Paul said winking

Helen glanced at the two boys, still gurgling to each other in their own language, smiling she turned back to Paul "So why don't you spoil your wife for the day and let us take care of the children" she said

"Thanks Gran that would be really good." He said, smiling as Helen held out her arms as Elle toddled towards her holding out her arms to be picked up. "She seems tired" "Helen remarked

"She should be she's been up since 6am this morning" Paul said "Sometimes thinks she feels the odd one out with the two boys"

Helen smiled "I remember when Lucy was this age" she said "Her eyes used to light up whenever she saw you...these three do the same"

"Usually when I have food in my hand" Paul laughed

Helen laughed "No it's more than that...you were the only one that could really settle Lucy at night and she still listens to you at times" she said

"Actually I think you'll find she listens more to Gail these days than me" Paul said "Those two are more like sisters than Lucy and Julie"

"Well when Julie decided to let Lucy know the reason why her mum died...Gail was there to pick up the pieces; even with three small babies to look after" Helen said "Lucy still has that bond with Robert too"

"She doesn't mind babysitting either" Paul laughed "Mind you once they're in bed they usually stay asleep until its morning nowadays"

The conversation was interrupted by a call from the back door as Gail entered with Helen-Louise in her car seat. "Hello all of you, I got your note to say where you would be. I don't know anything to get out of looking after the children on your own Paul"

"Hello to you darling, I love you to!"

"Ah, you feeling hard done by Mr Robinson, sorry" Gail said laughing as she sat down.

"Mummy" Elle cried, trying to get off Helen's lap.

"Hey ...what's wrong with you" Gail said placing the baby carrier on the floor and bending down to pick up her eldest daughter. Elle placed her arms around her mother's neck.

"How are you?" Helen asked

"Fine" Gail smiled

"I'll make you a drink" Paul said getting up. With Elle sitting on her lap Gail gently lifted Helen-Louise from her baby carrier and handed her to Helen.

"And how is my namesake?" Helen asked

"Well she has lungs like her sister" Paul said jokingly from the kitchen

Gail shook her head and sat back with Elle "She's fine, gaining weight all the time...hey did you know Jane's back?"

"Apparently so, Gran said earlier" Paul explained in a surprised tone as he returned with the drinks "Did you speak to her?"

"No she was going back into Joe's house when I pulled up" Gail said "Wonder how long she's back for"

Gail hugged Elle tightly "So have these three been causing havoc?" she asked

"Of course not they're my children" Paul replied in defence "Except Elle insisting she wanted all the toys out"

Gail laughed "Of course she did!" she said

"However I did manage to get her to put all the toys back in the box" Paul said

Gail looked at her daughter and smiled up at Paul "Ah ...did horrible daddy make you put all the toys back in the box" she teased

"Yeah" Elle said quietly

Paul laughed "Thanks for that!" he said "So what did Beverley say?"

"Well we appear to have four healthy children" Gail said looking at the baby in Helen's arms

"That's good what about you?" Paul said

Gail laughed "I'm fine...slightly tired but with four children under the age of 2 that's hardly surprising...besides we're both tired" she said

"Which leads me on nicely to what I have been thinking about; you two should give yourselves a break and let us look after the children for a while" Helen said

Gail smiled "hmm we'll see" she said "three of them were bad enough but now there are four things can get a little hectic".

Later that evening, Paul and Gail sat cuddled up on the sofa, the triplets were in bed and the baby lay in the basinet in the living room.

"Peace at last" Paul signed, as he gently kissed Gail's head

"Just wait until they're a bit older and arguing"

"Ahh don't remind me I remember when Jules got too bossy with Lucy and she didn't like it and then she and Scott would argue all the time so occasionally I had to step in as big brother and I guess I took her side mostly" Paul said

"Hmm, that's what Lucy said as well"

"Hey, what exactly has Lucy been saying about me, what else did she tell you and why were you discussing me!"

"We weren't talking about you really more about the triplets and Lucy mentioned that she thought they had the best dad" Gail said

"And you disagree with her?" Paul said looking into her eyes

Gail slapped him on the arm and laughed

"You've got a big enough ego as it is I don't need to tell you what I think of you as a father" she said "Besides you know perfectly well that if I didn't think my children had the best father I wouldn't be here"

"I supposed that's about as near to a compliment as I'm going to get!" Paul laughed

"You could say that!" Gail laughed

"Gran and I were talking about your birthday today!" Paul said

Gail turned to look at him "Darling don't go planning any trips away this year please" she said

Paul laughed "Don't worry I wasn't going to...but Gran thought it would be nice for us to spend a few hours together without the children" he said "Only if you want to"

"Hmm we'll see" Gail said quietly

Paul smirked "Don't get too enthusiastic about spending time alone with me!" he said tickling her

"Okay, okay I would love to spend time alone with you!" she said "So what else have you got planned"

"Top secret...if I tell you I might have to kill you afterwards" he laughed "Changing the subject a little have you heard from Ian recently"

Gail shook her head "No...he's off on some fascination" she said "He's been back to the town where he first met Louise and found someone who knows Louise's whereabouts or is still in contact with her"

"Aha, and I take it you still don't approve of him looking for Louise?" Paul said

"It's not that...but if she wanted to be found her name would have been on the adoption register but it wasn't, and just to say that he has contact with someone who knows her whereabouts doesn't mean he'll find her" Gail said "I don't know how she even considered adoption anyway".

"Well that's up to him" Paul said "You're a hard woman sometimes Mrs Robinson"

"No I'm not. I just think he's on a wild goose chase" Gail replied "Besides you and I both know that first love is not necessarily the best"

Paul laughed "Maybe not for us...but I wouldn't say that applies to everyone...look at Scott and Charlene" he said

"hmm okay I'll let you win that argument for now!" Gail smirked "By the way are you still going into work tomorrow?"

Paul groaned slightly "Hmm afraid so...but only for a couple of hours, there's a meeting I have to attend with a prospective Investor that Rosemary has found...unless of course you want to go in" he said

Gail shook her head "No you're okay, If you're back by lunchtime we can take the children out after lunch...see if we can burn off some of their excess energy"

"I can take the boys with me if you want" Paul said

"You can't hold a meeting with those two running around and you will never get them to sit still" Gail said

"I could always put them in the crèche for a couple of hours" Paul remarked

"There doesn't seem much point if I am home to look after them, we'll be fine"

Paul laughed and kissed her "Okay, if you're sure"

The following day Gail was busy preparing breakfast when Paul came downstairs carrying Elle, putting her in the high chair he walked over to Gail in the kitchen, she smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist and wished her good morning.

"Well I finally managed to get madam to sit on the potty for more than a minute, I always thought boys were harder to potty train than girls but your daughter is stubborn" he said kissing her head

Gail laughed "She certainly knows how to get what she wants with you around" she said

Gail smiled "What time are you going into work"

"Around 9.30am and hopefully I should be back by 12.30pm but don't hold me to that "Paul said

Gail turned in his arms "Hey, I won't...just give me a ring before you leave and I will get lunch ready" she said

Paul kissed her tenderly, then hearing the sound of tiny hands being banged on highchair tops he said "Okay...guess you'll have to wait to later Mrs Robinson, we better get these three fed" as he reluctantly let go of Gail and walked towards the triplets.

An hour and a half later with the breakfast dishes cleared away, and the children busy playing on the floor, Paul came downstairs ready for the office and collected his briefcase from the desk.

Paul smiled and shook his head at Cameron as he held his toy up to him, stroking the child's head "No matey, I can't play now I've got to go to work" kissing each of them first he then stood up and walked towards Gail, putting his arms around her waist he pulled her closer to him, breathing in the smell of her perfume.

"What's on your mind?" she laughed bemused

"Just wondered if you wanted to go to this meeting instead of me" he said kissing her head

Gail laughed and turned in his arms "What so you can sit on the floor and play with the children, sorry darling but I have work to do here, not to mention your youngest daughter is going to want feeding in the next hour or so" she said

"You get all the fun!" Paul laughed "Okay you sure you don't want me to take the boys to the crèche?"

Gail finished clearing up the kitchen, seeing that the triplets were settled and happily playing she decided to go upstairs and clean up, taking the baby monitor with her so that she could hear what was happening downstairs.

Upstairs she walked into hers and Paul's room, checking that the baby was still sleeping peacefully. Stroking her back, she listened to the gentle breathing and smiled. Quietly she made the bed and tidied up the room, picking up the clothes that Paul had thrown onto the floor the night before, sighing at how untidy he could be sometimes. From the baby monitor she heard the chattering of the triplets downstairs, everything seems peaceful and seeing that Helen-Louise was still asleep she decided to continue tidying upstairs.

A short time later she heard her daughter's cries and knew it was feeding time again, walking back into her bedroom she walked to the cot in the corner of the room and gently lifted her out.

"I thought you'd still be asleep" Gail cooed gently "Let's get you fed and changed and then we can go down and see what a mess your brothers and sister have made" She knew it was too quiet downstairs for the triplets not to be getting up to mischief. As she walked downstairs she rolled her eyes when she saw that almost every toy was out. Gently she placed Helen-Louise in the basinet and walked over to the triplets, picking up a few toys that were in her way.

"Did you three need to take every toy out of the toy box" she said

The three toddlers looked at her with grins on their faces. Gail laughed "I take that as a 'yes' then, well it's tidy up time and you can help"

As she placed some of the smaller toys in the box the triplets copied her but they were disturbed by a knock at the door; the triplets looked up thinking this was a way to get out of putting toys away and stood up.

"Ah no you stay here and put the toys in the box, I'll answer the door" Gail said

Gail went to answer the door, glancing behind her to see if the triplets were putting the toys away. On opening the door she smiled partly in shock and paused for a fraction of a second.

"Hi Jane...I heard you were back" she said hesitantly "Well come in...sorry about the chaos"

"Hi" Jane said as she tentatively stepped into the living room.

"Would you like a coffee I was about to make a drink?" Gail asked breaking the awkwardness, glancing towards the triplets who seemed to have forgotten about putting the toys away, and were back playing on the floor of the living room. Jane followed Gail into the kitchen.

"Sorry about the mess Jane, we still haven't got these three house trained yet" Gail said laughing, going to close the gate between the kitchen and the living room to keep the children out.

Jane laughed "I see you've got the house child proofed though" she said

"We need it with these three believe me, they're in to everything" Gail said as she boiled the kettle and took some mugs out of the cupboard, she also prepared juice for the triplets deciding that they'd probably needed a drink too. Five minutes later she took a tray into the living room and placed it on the coffee table, seeing the drinks the triplets quickly made their way to her.

"Wait" she said settling them down on the floor before handing them their drinks. Gail introduced Jane to each of the triplets by name and on hearing the gentle coos coming from the basinet she smiled, going over to pick up Helen-Louise before sitting down. Jane looked at her in half amazement and half admiration.

"You seem to have your hands full" she said, picking up her drink from the table "Joe told me about the new arrival and how cute the triplets were but I couldn't imagine how I would cope"

Gail smiled "Cute is one word for them, trouble is another" she said laughing

"How's Paul...don't tell me he's working" Jane said

"He's gone in for a meeting but he should be back by lunchtime" Gail said leaning forward to see what time it was.

"How are things now, I know things were really tense at work when I left" Jane said "I was sorry to hear about your dad"

"Thanks" Gail smiled sadly "It was kind of a shock for all of us. . . . .just a stupid argument that got out of hand between dad and Paul"

"Ouch" Jane said

"You could say that...things were so bad between Paul and I during that time, after you left his work load multiplied and Hilary kept piling on the pressure...I saw very little of him and then dad happened and everything just went downhill...but we are very much together now" Gail replied looking at the triplets

"I knew things were bad when I left...I felt guilty for going" Jane said

Gail smiled "Don't...you had to go...your grandmother needed you...by the way how is she?" wanting to change the subject

Jane rolled her eyes "She's fine...still trying to run my life for me...John Worthington's taken her on a three month cruise so I decided to come here to visit Joe and Toby" she said "Can't believe how grown up these three are though"

"They're going to be two this year" Gail smiled

"So how are things at Lassiters?" Jane asked

"Why are you looking for a job?" Gail asked jokingly

Jane shook her head "No thanks...not sure living back here would be an option" she said

Slightly relieved to hear that Jane hadn't come back looking for a job Gail continued "Well we've got five new members of staff in the office, Paul hired both a manager and an assistant office manager as well as a new PR officer to take some of the pressure of him and things are doing really well...Rosemary is also over at the moment which gives him more free time to spend with us"

"So he's given up his workaholic ways" Jane said surprised

Gail thought back to the day of her father's funeral "He had to" she said quietly "It was that or lose his family forever"

Sensing a delicate subject Jane changed the subject slightly "So how old is this little one?" stroking the face of the baby Gail held in her arms.

Gail smiled "Just over 8 weeks now" she said "Hey do you want to hold her"

Jane looked at her "You sure ...she's so small" she said

"She's not as fragile as she looks, particularly in the early hours" Gail laughed as she gently handed the baby over, Elle wandered over and put her arms out to her mother, Gail smiled and picked her up

Jane looked at the baby who seemed peaceful in her arms "Joe told me that Des has gone to see Eileen" she said broaching the subject that she had been not been looking forward to.

Gail sighed "Yes...he left a couple of weeks ago; think he needed a break from the street and some time with Jamie. Things have been a bit difficult for him lately"

"How come?" Jane asked

Gail rolled her eyes

"Sorry" Jane said "I guess it was my fault" looking sadly at the baby in her arms

"No" Gail said "I don't know, you did what you had to do. Des had a hard time dealing with the fact that you were never coming back and the marriage was off"

"I guess hearing over the phone that the marriage was off didn't help" Jane said

Gail shook her head "I think before that phone call he hadn't lost hope that you would come back" she said "Oh Paul must be back" seeing the boys make a dash for the door when they heard the key turn. "Hey boys let daddy get in the door before you jump on him please"

"Daddy" the boys squealed in unison, causing Elle to get down from Gail's lap and go over to join the boys. Paul managed to get through the door without squashing one of the children.

"Hey" he said crouching down to greet the children "Have you three been good?"

Gail laughed "I don't think the word is in their vocabulary" she said, standing up and going to the door to help Paul deal with the children who were all trying to get his attention.

"Ha ha, they obviously take after you" Paul said as he stood up and for the first time saw Jane sitting on the sofa holding the baby.

"Hi Paul" Jane said

"Oh hi Jane" Paul said "Didn't think I'd find you here?"

"I'm just here on a flying visit" Jane replied "Can't believe how things have changed around here" looking at the contented children in the lounge.

"Not looking for your old job back are you?" Paul said sarcastically "I've had to make a few changes to the office since you left"

Gail looked at him and shot him a warning look which failed to lighten the mood or the desired effect.

"I'm not staying" Jane said

"Of course you're not, the minute you decided to stay your grandmother would be taken unwell again" Paul said

"Okay Paul, stop now" Gail said walking back to Jane and gently lifting Helen Louise out of her arms as the baby began to fuss. Gently she placed her on her shoulder and patted her back. The boys went back to playing with their cars on the floor whilst Elle stood in between Gail and Paul listening with interest to what was going on, Paul bent down and lifted the little girl into his arms, smiling he kissed her.

"Paul it wasn't my fault that my grandmother got sick, I had no choice but to go to her" Jane said

"Yes but you also had responsibilities here, to both Des and me, how do you think Jamie felt, another female walking out of his life" Paul replied

"This isn't doing anyone any good" Gail said as she walked over to the basinet and placed Helen-Louise inside. "I'm going to start on lunch...Jane do you want to join us?"

Jane looked from Gail to Paul, she could see he wasn't happy with her being there "No I have to go" she said "Thanks for the coffee" Quickly she headed to the door, Gail shot Paul a look and shook her head, quietly she went into the kitchen. Paul knew she was angry but so was he, Jane waltzed back into Ramsay Street expecting everyone to be happy to see her, well she was wrong, thanks to her one of his best friends had left Ramsay Street possibly forever not to mention the fact that she had left him in the lurch. Watching Gail in the kitchen he sighed and went to see the boys on the floor, kneeling down beside them he placed Elle next to him and began to play with them. Gail stole glances at them every now and again reflecting on what Paul had said to Jane.

"Paul what do you want for lunch?" she asked breaking the silence between them.

Looking at her he smiled "I don't mind whatever you've got" he said, standing up "Do you want some help"

"You could get the triplet's lunch ready for me if you want" she said

"Okay" Paul replied going to the fridge, opening it he found the bread and started to make some sandwiches.

Gail looked at him "Paul you were too hard on Jane" she said reaching over him for the coffee jar.

"I know but it's true...she had responsibilities here, John Worthington was with her Gran...Jane didn't need to stay for the length of time she did" he said

"Okay say it had been Helen who had the heart attack wouldn't you have dropped everything to be with her" she said

Paul remembered what it had felt like when he had been in America with Rosemary and his Gran had had a stroke, he felt helpless but there wasn't anything he could do so he had stayed there, sighing he replied "I guess so, but you remember I was in her situation with Gran when I was in America with Dad" he said

"This isn't just about Des though is it; the fact is that her leaving you with the Robinson Corporation put a strain on our marriage" Gail said

With a note of insistence in his voice Paul said "Gail I gave her the assistant manager's job which was yours, but she gave no thought to it once she got to London. I was working all the hours God sent to keep us afloat and to get Hilary off my back"

Gail put her hand on his back "I see your point but darling...that's in the past; we got through it that's the main thing; at the end of the day I think we gave Jane too much responsibility considering her age" she said "When her parents didn't want her, all she had was her Nan, it was only natural that she wanted to go to her when she was ill. The corporation took a backseat"

"I guess I was being a little unfair" Paul said, sneaking a kiss on Gail's cheek "But she still should have come back and faced Des, not call off the marriage with a telephone call"

"I know" Gail said "I don't think she wanted to call the wedding off, my hunch would be that Mrs Worthington was influencing her a lot, I can't imagine her being happy at the thought of Jane marrying Des"

"There wasn't that much of an age gap though" Paul said

"True...but I still can't see Mrs Mangle liking the idea" Gail said

"But it wasn't like Des chased after her, it was Jane that wanted him" Paul said

Gail smiled as she watched the triplets playing on the floor "Wonder what we'll be like when these three start dating" she said

"Urgh" Paul groaned "I intend to keep our daughters locked up until they're 21" he said

Gail laughed and put her head on his shoulder "I don't think so darling" she said

Later that evening Paul and Gail sat curled up on the sofa, Paul kissed her head and pulled her closer to him, they had just put the triplets to bed and Helen-Louise was peaceful in the basinet.

"Am I forgiven for upsetting Jane earlier?" Paul asked

Gail turned in his arms to face him, kissing him on the lips. "I guess so" she said "You really should apologise though"

"Yeah, Yeah I know" Paul yawned

Gail gently smacked him "I mean it" she said, turning and lying back in his arms "How was the meeting this morning"

"Fine" Paul replied, not sure whether he wanted to interrupt the pleasant mood with talk of the business.

Gail frowned "Is that it? Just fine" she said

Paul laughed "Business women...you're all the same...what do you want me to say" he laughed tickling her playfully.

"I was only asking" Gail laughed, knocking his hand away

"Well if you must know, we have a new investor who is keen on putting money to upgrading the hotel, which is brilliant because we have to deal with the structure repairs as soon as possible" he said "But he's also keen on revamping the waterhole" Paul said quietly, knowing how Gail felt about the old pub.

Gail turned to look at him, frowning "You know what happened last time you wanted to pull the waterhole down" she said

"Darling I didn't say I was going to pull it down, but it does need looking at. The air conditioning keeps breaking down and the roof needs repairing, I thought maybe we could look at updating it some more but within keeping of the old interior of the place." He said "I don't really want to knock it down as I think it gives a kind of uniqueness to the complex, after all where else could you find an outback pub in the heart of a growing and thriving hotel complex"

Gail smirked, she knew him too well "Plus you didn't want to upset me" she said "You know how I feel about that place"

Paul laughed "I didn't want the argument we had last time" he said "I admit that but I guess in the same way that Jack Lassiter built that place for his wife, I guess I'll keep it the way it is for you"

Gail laughed "So romantic!" she said "However, didn't Rosemary keep the clause in the contract when she sold Lassiters that the Waterhole had to remain as it was"

Paul thought for a moment, realising that he hadn't checked the contract that closely regarding the waterhole "I don't know, I guess I should check that out" he said "But as I'm not considering knocking it down we should be okay"

Gail chuckled when she recalled the argument from a few years ago over the Waterhole.

"What's so funny?" Paul said, reaching for his mug of coffee on the table.

"Just remembering the argument we had over the waterhole" she said

Paul laughed "So do I...I think the whole thing got blown out of proportion"

"I don't know" Gail said "From what I remember you thought I'd told Rosemary your plans, and as far as you were concerned you were in charge and I was supposed to go along with everything you said"

"Where work was concerned I was the manager and I wanted 100% loyalty from my staff..." Paul began

Gail interrupted him "But you had that...you just didn't trust me" she said wondering why they were having this conversation now "I remember when Rosemary asked me to write that report you were convinced that I was scheming against you"

"I admit you scared me" Paul replied, putting his mug down and pulling Gail closer to him whilst turning back and checking on the basinet.

Gail smiled "Aha the truth is out...can I have that in writing please" she grinned

"No" Paul said moving his hands to her waist and gently tickling her , Gail gently smacked his hand away from her but Paul wouldn't give up "You were always so ambitious and the only place you could go from you own job was to mine"

Gail looked into his eyes, "I only ever wanted to help you succeed" she said sincerely, placing her lips on his she kissed him "There were times you infuriated me, you could be so arrogant and didn't care who you stepped on to get what you wanted but other times I saw a different side of you, and all I wanted was to be there for you"

"Even back then?" he asked, a little surprised.

"Yes" she replied honestly "Even though there were times you acted like a two year old"

Paul laughed "Speaking of two year olds...did you see how intently our daughter was listening to our conversation earlier" he said

"I did actually, we're going to be careful what we say around her as she grows up" Gail replied "You can see her little brain mulling it over"

Paul laughed "She reminds me so much of Lucy, she was exactly the same...we had to be so careful what we said around her as you can bet she would store it up and repeat it at the wrong moment" he said

Gail smiled "I can imagine" she said, trying not to yawn, however Paul caught on

"Bored of me already Mrs Robinson" he said

Gail looked at him "Of course not, but your daughter got me up early this morning" She said

Paul smiled "My daughter...I see" he said "She's fast asleep at the moment so why don't we take her upstairs and get some sleep before she decides to wake up again" he said kissing Gail,

"Sounds like a good plan to me, Mr Robinson" she replied as she stood up reaching for Paul's hand.

Two months later, Ian Chadwick sat alone on a park bench on the outskirts of Erinsborough, preparing to meet the woman who disappeared from his life almost thirty years ago. Ever since finding Gail, something inside him had been determined to find out what happened to her mother, little did he know that she lived just a few kilometres away from their daughter. He felt nervous, unsure of what to say, reaching into his pocket he took out his wallet and opened it looking at the small photo he had of Gail, Paul and the children, smiling he looked at the photo of the triplets. He couldn't help wonder what Gail had been like at that age and how much he had missed with not seeing her grow up. Reluctantly he placed the photo back as he looked up and saw a woman approach. Standing up he slowly walked towards her, smiling as he reached her.

"Louise" he said tentatively "It's been a long time"

Smiling she reached out and embraced him "Ian...you're the last person I expected to hear from after all this time" she said, letting go of him "don't tell me you're living near here now"

Ian shook his head "No just visiting...I'm staying at Lassiters Hotel at the moment" he said curiously adding "Do you know it?"

"I've eaten there once or twice...the food is good" Louise replied "So tell me how come you've decided to contact me after all these years"

Ian looked down at his hands, unsure of what to say "I don't know..been thinking about you a lot lately...I mean 30 years ago you walked out of my life" he said "Do you ever think about us and what we gave up"

Louise looked at him and frowned, there was no point in regrets as there was nothing either of them could do about it, sighing she replied "Why don't we go and sit down?" as she saw the secluded park bench

Ian nodded, as he thought about the photograph of their daughter in his pocket, reluctantly he tried to put it out of his mind, he wasn't sure how to approach that subject. As they sat down a silence overcame them, neither one knowing how to break it. "So how has life been?" Ian finally asked

Louise looked at him, "Fine" she said "And you?"

"Yeah about the same" Ian replied, wondering if he had made a mistake trying to make contact again.

Louise laughed "Men...you're hopeless at small talk...so tell me what you have been up to" she said

Ian laughed "Well I set up my own business in Tassie, got married, had two children and then got divorced" he said

"oh, I'm sorry to hear that"

"My own fault really, I became too wrapped up in business and neglected my family"

Louise looked down at the ground thoughtfully, for a moment she wondered what life would have been like if they had stayed together, just as quickly she wiped the thought from her mind, Ian interrupted her thoughts

"So tell me how's life been treating you?" He asked

Louise looked up at him and gave him a weak smile "Well after we left Tasmania we went to England, where I...anyway we moved around a lot and then settled on the South Coast of England. I left England on my 21st birthday and travelled Europe, getting jobs here and there to pay for what I needed before moving back here and continuing my studies" she said

"How long have you been living here?" Ian asked curiously

"About three years...a job opportunity came up so I took it...I started my own counselling service up" Louise replied, she gave a small laugh and looked across at the playground nearby "My speciality is counselling girls who find themselves pregnant...I try to help them come to terms with the pregnancy and make up their own minds as to what they want to do instead of letting the parents decide"

"That's a tough job" Ian said

"True" Louise replied "But when you've been there yourself you have a better understanding"

"Do you ever think about us, about what happened?" Ian asked still conscious of the photograph in his pocket, no matter how much he would have loved to have shown Louise he knew he couldn't

Louise smiled and sighed "It was so long ago...but I think that was one of the reasons I chose the career I did...I think every girl has the right to decide what happens if she gets pregnant...it's not the parent's decision" she said

"You sound bitter" Ian said "I guess your parents did what they thought was best for you"

"No Ian" Louise started angrily "They did what was best for them..it wasn't acceptable in their circle of friends to have a pregnant teenage daughter...so they took me away, I went through the pregnancy alone without my friends, without you and then I had to give up my baby...I never even got to hold her or look at her for that matter"

"I would have looked after you both" Ian said "You know that don't you?"

Louise looked into his eyes and saw an older version of the boy she loved "I know" she said "It was out of your hands"

"You never had any other children?" Ian asked

"No...I had a complicated pregnancy and birth, afterwards I was told I could never have any more children" she said, tears forming in her eyes "My parents saw it as a punishment for getting pregnant so young...I never forgave them for forcing me to give up the baby or making me leave Tasmania...I haven't seen or heard from them since I left England"

"Did you ever look for the baby" Ian asked, remembering that Louise's name was not on the adoption records.

"I looked for her when she reached 16 until she was 21, I figured that her adoptive parents would have told her that she was adopted around about that age but by the time her 21st birthday arrived and I was no nearer finding her I just thought that she was happy...and didn't need to know her birth parents" she said

Ian was silent remembering a conversation with Paul, where he learnt that Gail hadn't known she was adopted until they were considering the IVF programme. Louise looked at him sadly, the tears beginning to flow

"You wouldn't believe how many times I've wondered where she is, what she's doing, whether she's happy, does she ever think of me, is she angry because I gave her up" she continued "I never saw her, I gave birth to her and she was taken from me"

Ian looked into her eyes, an image came into his vision of Paul and Gail sitting on the sofa at Christmas cuddling Elle and trying to get her to sleep, their fingers entwined as they rubbed the little girl's back, he didn't know what to say to Louise to make her feel any better. Could he tell her that he knew where their daughter was despite Gail's wishes, "She would have been 30 in a few weeks time" he said

Louise laughed "Didn't think men remembered things like that" she said "Did you ever look for her?"

Ian closed his eyes, what could he say...how much of the truth could he reveal, finally he replied "Yes I did" he began "My marriage had ended badly, my sons wouldn't talk to me and I wanted to find...I don't know...the past I guess...I wanted to find part of you as I knew I couldn't find you" he said

"I take it you didn't have any luck either" Louise said disappointed

Ian hesitated, Louise saw the look in his eyes and jumped on the slight glimmer of hope this gave her "Ian, you found her didn't you!"

Ian didn't reply, feeling torn by his respect and responsibility to Gail but knowing the feelings Louise must be experiencing.

"Ian?" Louise asked again but inwardly knowing the answer, suddenly realisation hit her.

"You found her didn't you and let me guess she doesn't want to see me" Louise said sadly, Ian looked at her and in his eyes she saw pity and the truth

"Why" she asked

"I don't know, she's just like you feisty and stubborn" Ian said "Look why don't we go and get a coffee and I can fill you in"

Louise sighed, she didn't really need to be filled in, she knew in her heart why her daughter didn't want to see her "Okay" she said "Do you want to go to the Coffee Shop at Lassiters"

"No I don't think so...I'm spending enough time there at the moment, there's a coffee shop just down the road from here" thinking quickly in case this caused any complications.

"Okay" Louise said softly, they walked in silence to the coffee shop, walking inside Ian spotted a table at the back of the room and suggested to Louise that she get the table whilst he ordered the coffee. After ordering two coffees, Ian looked towards Louise, she was fiddling with the table menu, and he noticed she looked so sad.

"Coffee won't be long" he said, as he sat down opposite her, Louise looked at him and smiled "Do you want anything to eat" Ian added

She shook her head "No thanks" she replied

They were silent for a few minutes whilst the waitress brought them their coffees, Louise picked up some sugar and placed it in the mug, then picking up a teaspoon she began to stir the sugar round. Ian looked at her not knowing where to start, finally Louise began,

"How long ago did you find her?" she asked

"Only a few years ago" Ian said "It was just after my divorce"

"but she wasn't on the adoption register when I looked for her" Louise said

"No...she found out she was adopted by accident, her adopted parents didn't tell her and she needed some documents and came across a letter from her late adopted mother in her father's papers" Ian said "It explained everything"

"I can't believe they did it in a letter" Louise said, astonished that anyone would give someone that sort of information in a letter.

Ian sighed "I don't think they meant to, her adopted mother died when she was young, and from what I know she wrote a letter to Gail telling her everything so that her Dad didn't have to, unfortunately her Dad kept the letter but couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth" he said

"It must have been a bit of a shock" Louise said

"You could say that" Ian replied picking up his mug and taking a drink of the coffee, he grimaced at the taste of it as he realised he had tasted better at Lassiter's Coffee Shop

"So tell me about her" Louise said

Ian put down his mug, "Where do you want me to start?" he asked

"Is she happy?" Louise asked

"Yes she is, she's married with four children" Ian said

"She and her husband manage the children and their business between them" Ian said

"How old are the children?" Louise asked

Ian smiled, thinking of the photograph in his pocket, realising that he still didn't have a photograph of his youngest grandchild "Well she has triplets that are nearly two and a daughter who's four months" Ian said "She found out she couldn't have children so her and her husband enrolled on the IVF programme and had triplets, that's in fact how she found out she was adopted, she wanted some information regarding her mother's medical history and of course she found out that she was adopted"

"So what business are she and her husband in?" Louise asked

Ian hesitated as he knew whatever he said would potentially let Louise know where Gail was "They own a successful hotel and business" he said

Louise rolled her eyes and suddenly realised sitting up with a start "Don't tell me Lassiters...that's why you didn't want to go to their Coffee Shop, I mean you have to admit that their coffee is better than this" she said staring at the mug in front of her

Ian grimaced "Absolutely" he said

"I take it she doesn't want to see me" Louise said dejectedly

Ian sighed "I think she decided when you weren't on the adoption register that you didn't want to know her, then after the triplets were born, she found it difficult accepting that anyone would give up their child so easily" he said

"I did not give her up easily...I was 17 years old, I had no choice in those days" Louise replied "I'm so glad those days have gone...will you tell her you've seen me?"

"Well I'm going to visit her tomorrow, so I might mention it" Ian said "I'm not sure how she will take it though"

"You mean she won't see me" Louise said

"I honestly don't know" Ian said

Louise looked at her watch, realising what the time was and remembering an appointment she had "I'm sorry Ian, I've got to go...how long are you staying at Lassiters for?" she asked

"Another week" he said "Gail's birthday is coming up and the family have arranged a surprise party for her" realising how awful those words must sound to Louise.

"Gail . . . . is that her name. I was never even able to find that out" In an attempt to pull herself out of the surprise news Louise continued "Okay, well you have my address and telephone number, please keep in touch" she said

After paying the bill, they walked back to their cars, agreeing to meet up again soon. Ian watched as Louise drove off before getting in his car unsure if he had just made a very big mistake or if everything would work out.

As he drove into the car park at Lassiters, he noticed that the office light was still on, it was past five o'clock, he knew Paul had gone into work but wasn't sure he would still be there, deciding that he needed to speak to him as soon as possible he walked to the office. Opening the door, he went to the inner door and knocked before walking in. Paul was sat on his desk with Cameron playing with his cars on the floor.

"What's this?" Ian asked "It's gone five and you're still here" walking over to Cameron and picking him up, throwing him in the air, laughing as the child squealed with delight.

"Just clearing up now" He said, as Ian placed Cameron back on the floor and turned to Paul "I have a confession to make" he exclaimed hesitantly.

Paul looked at him curiously "What?!" He asked "Don't tell me you have to go back to Tasmania and can't make the birthday party" Cameron toddled over to Paul who picked him up, lifting Cameron in his arms he stood up still looking at Ian.

Ian shook his head "No...I'll be there" he said "I saw Louise today"

Paul frowned "Louise . . . as in Gail's biological mother...you found her" he said with concern

"Yep she's right here...living and working a few kilometres away" he said "The problem is I told her that I knew where Gail was and she wants to see her"

Shrugging his shoulders in frustration and part anger Paul exclaimed "Ian you know how Gail feels about her"

With a note of desperateness in his voice Ian pleaded with Paul "Can't you make her change her mind...she listens to you, all Louise wants is a chance to see her daughter"

"I can understand that but Gail's not interested in seeing her" Paul said firmly "We've discussed it before and my first concern is for her wishes and my family"

"But" Ian said

Feeling that he wasn't making himself clear or Ian just didn't want to hear what he was saying Paul started to feel frustrated and sharply replied "Look Ian, there are no 'buts' you know how Gail feels, you had no right to tell Louise that you knew where she was"

"Make her see reason" Ian said "If anyone can you can"

Paul laughed "Look Ian, she has a mind of her own, and there's nothing I can do to change it" he said "Beside my loyalty is to her" picking up his briefcase and with Cameron in his other arm, he stepped away from his desk and moved towards the door, Ian followed him outside.

Paul turned as he opened the door to let Ian out "We'll see you tomorrow" he said

Ian stroked Cameron's cheek "If she would only see Louise I know she would feel different" he said

"Ian, please" Paul said as he placed Cameron down while he got his keys out of his pocket "Maybe one day she will change her mind but just at the moment she doesn't want to see Louise so we have to respect that"

After Paul opened the door, Ian stepped outside turning around to say something he sighed and started walking away, Paul watched him, he wished he could help Ian but he also knew how stubborn his wife could be, Looking down he saw Cameron looking up at him, watching him curiously, Paul laughed and scooped the child up in his arms "Hey you it's time to go back home" he said kissing him.

"Home" Cameron repeated

"You've got it matey" Paul said smiling.

On arriving home, Paul heard the laughter of the children as he got to the door, with Cameron in his arms he managed to get the door opened and walked in, seeing Nick and Todd sitting on the floor with the Robert and Elle.

"Hey you two what's going on?" he asked as he put Cameron down.

"Just playing farms with these two" Nick said, standing up, Elle put her arms out for him so he picked her up "But now we have to go home" he said tickling her, Elle squirmed in his arms.

"Something I said" Paul laughed

"No" Todd said "We're going to meet Sharon and Lucy up at the skatepark"

"Okay" Paul said as Nick handed him Elle "Have fun and be careful"

Todd rolled his eyes "Sure...you know us!" he said

"Unfortunately yes" Paul said "Where's Gail?"

"She's upstairs bathing Helen-Louise, we were going to stay until she came down but as you're here we're head off" Nick said

"Bored with my children already" Paul laughed

"There's only so much playing little kids games that we can take" Todd laughed "Can't wait until they grow a bit bigger and we can play football with them outside" as he walked out the door.

Paul placed Elle back down on the floor along with her two brothers and walked into the kitchen, the triplets' eyes followed him, he put the kettle on and looked inside the oven "Ooh looks like dinner will soon be ready" he said, as he began to get plates out of the cupboard, the triplets walked over to him standing by the gate.

"Hope you three are hungry" he said, the triplets turned when they heard Gail coming back downstairs.

"Hi" she said as she walked towards the kitchen "How was your day?"

Paul smiled and walked out of the kitchen, carrying some cutlery to put on the table, "Busy but fine, and I had Cam to keep me company" he replied kissing her on the lips.

Gail smiled "Well how about we get these three fed, bathed and in bed then curl up on the sofa together" she said

"Sounds like a brilliant idea" Paul said "Can't think of anything I'd rather do tonight, might just change and check on our youngest"

"Okay" Gail said "I'll start getting these three their dinner"

Paul walked out of the kitchen and turned and looked at her as he got to the staircase, she was happily chatting to the triplets as she got their dinner ready, he smiled at how happy she looked but knew that he needed to tell her that her biological mother was in town, if he didn't he was sure Ian wouldn't be able to keep quiet, sighing he walked up the stairs and into his room, stopping briefly to check his youngest daughter's cot, seeing her sleeping peacefully he gently stroked her back, watching her for a minute before he turned and walked into the bathroom.

An hour and a half later Gail and Paul had finished bathing the children, after looking through a picture book with them, they put the three of them to bed, Gail smiled as she watched Paul have a battle of wills with Elle, who was refusing to lie down, seeing the other two were settled she walked over to her daughter's cot.

"Hey you" she cooed "Time to go to sleep"

"I've been telling her that for the last five minutes" Paul said "She's not listening"

Gail laughed "Stubborn" she said as she picked her daughter up "Come on, you've had a busy day playing now it's time to sleep" Elle shook her head and then placed it on Gail's shoulder, Gail cuddled her close for a moment then gently put her back in her cot, placing her blanket over her.

"Mummy" Elle called holding out her arms

"No sweetie" Gail said gently "Time to go to sleep"

Paul gently stroked Elle's head, "Night sweetie" he said, watching and smiling as her thumb went in her mouth and her other arm went around her koala bear. Gently Paul and Gail walked out of the room switching on the night light and making sure the baby alarm was switched on.

Once downstairs, Gail walked to the kitchen to wash up "How is it that Elle is always the one that won't go to sleep straight away" Paul said

Gail turned and looked at him "Because she loves being the centre of attention" she replied smiling as she picked up the dishes from the table and placed them on the draining board.

Paul walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, "She's just like her mum" he said putting his lips close to her ear. Gail slapped his hand away "That is so not true" she said, Paul laughed "I think the lady protests too much"

Gail quickly picked up the tea towel and threw it in his face "Just for that remark you can dry up" she laughed, Paul held up his hands in surrender and picked up the tea towel which had fallen on the floor.

They began washing up in a comfortable silence; Paul looked at his wife wondering whether it was a good idea to bring up the subject of her biological mother, Gail sensed he had something on his mind.

"What's wrong" she asked

"Nothing...just thinking how lucky I am" he said

Gail laughed "Yeah well don't forget it" she said "Seriously though what's on your mind"

Paul sighed "How about we leave the rest of the washing up until tomorrow and go and sit down" he said, putting down the tea towel"

"Come on Paul, we only have a few more dishes to do" Gail said

Paul rolled his eyes "Okay, slave driver!" he said

Twenty minutes later, Paul was sat in the lounge reading the paper when Gail walked over carrying two mugs of coffee, Paul smiled and put down the paper as she placed the mugs on the table. "Come here" he said opening his arms for her, Gail smiled and sat down. Paul pulled her closer to him and kissed her.

"What's on your mind?" Gail asked

Paul sighed "Ian came to see me in the office today" he started

"Don't tell me he has to go back to Tasmania so wont be here for my birthday" Gail said

"No...it just.." Paul began

"Just what" Gail asked

"He's found Louise" Paul said

"You mean Louise as in my biological mother?" Gail said, not really needing a reply to her question.

"Yes" Paul said

"Well that's nice for him" Gail said "Just as long as he doesn't tell her that he knows where I am" she said seeing in Paul's face that Louise did know.

"He's told her he knows where I am, knowing that I don't want to meet her, hasn't he?" Gail said

"Darling" Paul said "He said it just slipped out, she wants to meet you" as he held her closer, Gail moved out of his arms and looked at him.

"You agree with him don't you" she said "You think I'm being unreasonable about not wanting to see her"

Paul shook his head "No I'm on your side...it's just I can see their point of view" he said

Gail moved out of his embrace and stood up, putting her back to Paul "Great" she said angrily "Thanks a lot"

Paul stood up and put his hands on Gail's shoulder, she angrily pushed him away "Darling...I'm on your side"

Gail turned to face him and he saw the tears in her eyes, he cursed Ian for telling Louise anything, gently he walked up to her and wiped away her tears "I love you...more than anything in this world you know that and if you don't want to meet Louise then that's fine with me...I told Ian the same" he said

"But you think I should see her" Gail said "Truthfully"

"Not if you don't want to" he replied, pulling her into a hug

"Paul she's not my mother" Gail said quietly "She gave up that right when she had me adopted"

Paul stayed quiet, waiting for Gail to continue. His eyes drifted to the photograph of their children on the fireplace mantelpiece. Gail looked at him, then turned to follow where eyes were looking.

"I don't know, maybe having our own children has made me see things differently; parenthood isn't just about giving birth to a baby, it's about the caring of the children, look how much time we've spent on our children these past few years" Gail said

"I wouldn't have it any other way" Paul smiled, as he went to sit down on the sofa, gently pulling Gail with him

"Rob and Brenda were my real parents, they cared for me, made sure I was safe and they worried about me whilst I was growing up, Ian and Louise are my biological parents but I realise now that's all they will ever be" Gail said sadly "I don't really know them, and if Ian thinks he can change my mind about meeting Louise he's wrong"

Paul looked at her and pulled her closer to him "You don't have to do anything you don't want to" he said

A week later Paul and Gail sat outside the coffee shop enjoying breakfast with the triplets, having left baby Helen in the care of Jim and Helen. Paul laughed as he looked at the face of his daughter which was covered in jam, picking up his napkins he went to wipe her face.

"Nooooo..daddy" Elle squealed pushing his hand away from her

"Hmm maybe bringing these three to breakfast was not a great idea" Gail laughed

"Well the boys are behaving" Paul said "Besides I thought it would make a nice change"

Gail laughed "Think we need to get them table trained as well as toilet trained" she said, quickly moving a glass or water away from Cameron's reach, before he knocked it over.

"Anyway once we've had breakfast we can take these three back to dad's and spend the rest of the day together" Paul said

"And what have you got planned" Gail asked "You sure your dad won't mind looking after the children"

Paul laughed "On question one, I'm not telling you and believe me dad will enjoy having the triplets around...he's already said we don't ask for help enough" he said

"Well a few hours with these three will change his mind" Gail smiled "So come on at least give me a clue as to what you have planned. I mean what if I don't like what you've got planned"

Paul laughed "You can do whatever you want" he said "I just thought it would be nice to spend the day together and not have to worry about the children"

Gail looked at the three children who were getting restless; she sighed as Robert put his hand on his piece of toast and got it covered in Jam, he then showed Paul saying.

Paul smiled as he grabbed a napkin to clean his son up "I think it's time we went home, don't you matey" he said

"Yeah" Robert replied looking at him "Daddy...down"

"In a minute" Paul said "Darling I think these three have had enough breakfast today, how about we get them back to the car"

Gail didn't answer, causing Paul to look at her; he looked to where she was looking and rolled his eyes. "I don't believe it" he said

Gail looked at him "Paul what he doing here with her, I told him I didn't want to see her"


End file.
